Baked Chicken with Basil

But you don’t have to have four other people for lunch or dinner to cook this dish. I’ve scaled down the recipe to serve just one (myself) using only one chicken breast from the pack of two I bought in the supermarket.

Fresh basil is a must for this recipe – ask for it from vendors who sell herbs in the market – where you’ll only get the local fine-leaf variety. Or grow your own basil genovese, and have it in your backyard whenever you need it.

Save money on this recipe by skinning and boning the chicken breast yourself – as you did with last week’s recipe. If you’re planning a large meal you can prepare the chicken the day before and leave it in the ’fridge overnight, covered with plastic wrap, and ready (once you remove the plastic wrap) to cook the following day.

Now for this week’s

recipe which uses:

5 boneless, skinned chicken breasts.

3 ozs natural yoghurt (low-fat if you’re health-conscious)

1/2 oz (that’s quite a large bunch) minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 oz breadcrumbs (preferably whole meal, but white will do as well) – that’s about 1 thickish slice if you crumb the bread in your blender.

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (fresh, if you can afford it)

Method:

Butter (or oil) a square or oblong Corning ware (or similar) baking dish. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer. Stir together the yoghurt, basil and cornfour, mix well and spread this mixture over the chicken.

Season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper to taste, add the Parmesan and sprinkle this mixture over the chicken.

Now, either cover the dish with plastic wrap and leave overnight in the ’fridge to cook later or the next day, or bake the chicken at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Serves 5.