Herby Breaded Chicken with Stir-Fried Mustard Sprouts

Breaded chicken is one of life's true joys and it gets a bit of a bad reputation thanks to the processed nonsense you find in the supermarkets and fast food outlets. If you make your own at home with the best quality chicken you can afford, not only is it juicier and more delicious but it's actually a really good source of protein.

To serve alongside, I chose some stir-fried sprouts perked up with the juice of a lemon and a good dollop of mustard. You can leave the mustard out if you like (or swap it for some chilli sauce!) but it really adds a delicious warmth and contrast to the chicken. I always make my own breadcrumbs (fresh is best!) usually by toasting a slice of wholemeal bread and then whizzing it up in the food processor.

Herby Breaded Chicken with Stir-Fried Mustard Sprouts

Serves 4

50g plain flour 

100g fresh breadcrumbs 

1 lemon 

Handful fresh flatleaf parsley 

1 large free-range egg 

4 free-range chicken breasts 

3 tbsp olive oil 

450g brussels sprouts 

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and grate in the zest of the lemon. Finely chop the parsley, then add half to the breadcrumbs. Beat the egg in a third bowl. 

Flatten the chicken breasts by bashing them with a rolling pin between 2 sheets of cling film or greaseproof paper until they’re about 2cm thick. Coat the flattened chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. 

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and, when hot, fry the coated chicken for 6-8 minutes on each side until golden and cooked. Transfer to a warmed plate and cover with foil. 

Finely slice the sprouts to shred. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a pan, then stir-fry the vegetables for 5 minutes. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon, then stir through the mustard, the rest of the chopped parsley and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the srpouts with the chicken.