Name: Seed and corn crumbed chicken with crisp bacon and mint pea buttermilk dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 6 rindless bacon rashers, diced; 1 cup of frozen peas, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and drained; 1 cup mint leaves, torn, plus extra, to serve; 4 chicken breasts; 3 cups cornflakes, crushed into crumbs; 2 Tbsp coriander seeds, crushed; 120g sunflower seeds; 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder; 1/2 cup plain flour; 4 free-range eggs; Vegetable oil, for shallow frying; Fries and lemon wedges, to serve; BUTTERMILK DRESSING; 2 large French purple shallots, diced; 200ml buttermilk; 130ml extra virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsp chardonnay white wine vinegar; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 11/2 Tbsp caster sugar; 1 tsp flaked salt; Freshly ground black pepper

Crumbed chicken is a great mid-week meal, but Karen will show you how to elevate it to a wonderful weekend entertainer. Besides making the most crunchy and flavourful crumb, the sharp and snappy dressing is key.

The typical order for crumbing chicken is to coat it in flour, dip it in beaten egg, and then coat it in breadcrumbs.

To ensure breadcrumbs stick to the chicken, make sure the chicken is properly coated in flour and egg before applying the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken to help them adhere.

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 rindless bacon rashers, diced

1 cup of frozen peas, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and drained

1 cup mint leaves, torn, plus extra, to serve

4 chicken breasts

3 cups cornflakes, crushed into crumbs

2 Tbsp coriander seeds, crushed

120g sunflower seeds

2 tsp chicken bouillon powder

1/2 cup plain flour

4 free-range eggs

Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Fries and lemon wedges, to serve

BUTTERMILK DRESSING

2 large French purple shallots, diced

200ml buttermilk

130ml extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp chardonnay white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

11/2 Tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp flaked salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

For Dressing, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season.

In a medium frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. Cook bacon, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bacon is cooked and crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Cool.

In a mortar and pestle, lightly mash warm peas. Transfer to a bowl and stir through bacon and mint. Set aside.

Separate tenderloin from chicken breast. Slice each breast in half horizontally to form 8 pieces. Lay each chicken piece between sheets of baking paper on a board and gently pound with a mallet to flatten slightly.

In a large, wide bowl, combine crushed cornflakes, coriander seeds, sunflower seeds and bouillon powder. Put flour on a plate or in a large bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl.

Line a tray with baking paper. Dip chicken pieces in flour, then egg and then crumb mix, and press to coat both sides. Transfer to prepared tray.

Preheat enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides of a large frying pan on high. Cook chicken pieces, in batches if needed, for 3-4 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a baking paper-lined plate while cooking remaining chicken.

Top chicken with pea and bacon mixture, drizzle with buttermilk dressing and serve with fries, lemon wedges and extra mint leaves.

Essential kitchen items needed for this recipe

Frying pan: Used to cook the diced bacon until crisp.
Mortar and pestle: Used to crush the coriander seeds.
Paper towels: Try these forest-friendly paper towels from Who Gives a Crap.

Karen Martini Chef

Melbourne chef, restaurateur and food writer Karen Martini has been cooking professionally for more than 20 years. A passionate ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Research, Karen aims to build the awareness of the silent killer that is often misdiagnosed.

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Ingredients

Method

Essential kitchen items needed for this recipe

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