Easy, summery, and so delish! Get this on the table in under 30 minutes, and maybe even less if you delegate, because kids are way more inclined to help with the cooking if the outcome involves oodles of melted cheese, so get them involved too! Chicken fillets topped with melted mozzarella, piled with a marinated cherry tomato salad with fresh basil and red onions, served on pesto couscous and finished with a splash of balsamic reduction.
DOWNLOAD RECIPE CARD:
Hello Supper Recipe_ Chicken Margherita
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Free-Range Chicken Breasts (sliced horizontally to +-1cm thick fillets)
- 1 Heaped Cup Cherry Tomatoes (rinsed, sliced in half)
- 1 Large Handful Fresh Basil (rinsed, finely chopped)
- 100g Mozzarella (thickly sliced)
- ½ Red Onion or 1 Small (cut in half, very thinly sliced)
- 2 - 3 TBS Balsamic Reduction
- 2 TBS Basil Pesto
- ½ Cup Couscous (uncooked)
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1
- Transfer couscous into a large heatproof lidded bowl. Season well with salt, pepper. Pour boiling water over couscous until just submerged, then stir & cover. Let stand for +- 10 mins.
STEP 2
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and tear Basil leaves from stems then chop finely - discard stems.
- Cut onion in half then slice each half very thinly.
- Add onion & basil with tomatoes, and toss with half the balsamic reduction, a drizzle of olive oil, & season with salt & pepper.
- Toss well & pop into the fridge to marinate until you're ready to serve.
STEP 3
- Slice chicken breasts in half, horizontally. You’ll end up with thin breasts cutlets about 1 cm thick.
- Heat a large lidded pan with a little oil. Cook chicken for +-4 mins on one side. While chicken cooks, cut mozzarella into thick slices.
- Flip chicken and cook for another 4 mins. Just before chicken is done on the second side, cover each fillet with mozzarella slices then cover the pan & continue cooking until chicken is done & cheese is melted.
STEP 4
- Add basil pesto to the couscous & toss very well.
- Divide couscous between plates, smooth out to create a bed.
- Top couscous with chicken - get all the cheesy pan bits onto the plates.
- Pile the cheesy fillets with the marinated tomato salad, & finish each plate with a generous drizzle of the remaining balsamic reduction.
TIPS & VARIATIONS:
- You can substitute the mozzarella for provolone or even young gouda.
- Not a couscous fan? Skip it and serve the meal with flatbreads, or go carb free: leave out the couscous: double up on the rest of the ingredients, then dot the basil pesto over the meal just before serving.
- Balsamic reduction is a bold flavour, rather use less on the marinade and drizzle over the rest at the end if you feel the dish needs more.