Do you remember when YouTube was booming in the late 2000s to early 2010s? That was my portal to the cooking/baking world. I have subscribed to so many cooking and baking channels. 1 of which is when I discovered Jamie Oliver. Yes, I remember it very fondly as this recipe popped up on my YouTube recommended list.
That and his controversial battle against the fast food giant. Anyway, That was like 10 to 11 years ago. You can check out the original recipe here. I have adjusted the recipe to my palette and it has evolved into what it is today. I am not saying that mine is better compared to the legend. This is just my humble take on an iconic dish.
I will make this dish from time to time; whenever I would like something simple yet classy at the same time. Besides, my daughters adore this dish. So, I have no complaints. You really have to give this recipe and let me know what you think.
Ingredients:
Inspired by Jamie Oliver
(Serve 2)
Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Dried Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Cumin Powder, Pinch
Sumac Powder, Pinch
Dried Oregano, Pinch
White Sesame Seeds, Pinch
Fresh Lemon Zest, 1/2 Lemon
Parmigiano Reggiano, For Grating
Parma Ham / Prosciutto, A Few Slices
Sesame Oil, 2 TBSP
Chicken Stock Homemade / White Wine, 1/2 Cup
Balsamic Vinegar, 2 TBSP
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Parsley Coarsely Chopped, A Handful
Some Fresh Greens, A Handful (I'm using some lettuce and arugula)
Black Pepper, Pinch
Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 TBSP
High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 TBSP
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Directions:
Please visit my "How To Make Chicken Stock" for the recipe.
Lay a piece of cling film on a working surface.
Place the chicken breast in the center.
Cover the chicken with another piece of cling film.
Pound the chicken breast with a meat mallet, rolling pin or skillet until even thickness.
In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, mushroom, cumin, sumac, oregano, sesame seeds and lemon zest.
Sprinkle that mixture over the chicken breast, and cover the entire chicken.
Grate parmigiano over the top, covering the entire chicken.
Lay parma ham slices over the chicken, covering the entire chicken as well.
*It is okay if overlapping.*
Gently press to adhere.
In a skillet over medium heat, add oil.
Once the oil is heated up, swiftly add in the chicken, parma ham side down.
Cook until the edges start to turn white and the parma ham is crispy at the bottom.
Flip and cook for another min.
Remove from heat and set aside to rest.
*You can skip the below steps and just serve the chicken with the greens. But I personally find it wasteful if I don't make use of the crispy bits on the skillet.*
In the same skillet, add chicken stock or wine to deglaze.
Cook until reduced by 1/2.
Add in balsamic, garlic and parsley.
Stir to combine well.
Continue cooking until reduced by 1/4.
Add in whatever leftover juice from the rested chicken.
Give it a final stir, remove from heat and set it aside.
In a large bowl, combine vegetable greens with salt, black pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.
Transfer the simple salad onto a serving plate.
Top it off with the chicken parma ham.
Drizzle that sauce over the chicken.
Serve immediately.
Tender, juicy and chickenlicious...
Jamie Oliver is a genius...