This is such a delicious dish – succulent chicken, rich tomato sauce and silky parsley butter coated pasta. It’s special enough for a dinner party dish with friends and just perfect with a chunk of foccacia or garlic bread to mop up any excess sauce.

Serves 4   |  20 mins prep plus 30 mins cooking

Ingredients

• 1 quantity tomato sauce for pasta
• 50g parmesan cheese finely grated
• 25g seasoned flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 25g butter
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 150g mozzarella cheese, sliced
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 350g tagliatelle – fresh if possible
• 25g butter
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• leaves from 1 x 20g packet flat leafed parsley, chopped

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c (fan). Put half the grated parmesan and all the seasoned flour on a plate and mix to combine. Lightly beat the egg in a shallow bowl or dish. Melt the butter in a large frying pan.
2. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and beat with a rolling pin to flatten (this will make them cook more quickly).
3. Dip each chicken breast first in the egg and then in the flour and cheese mix and fry over a medium heat for about 3 mins each side until golden.
4. Transfer the cooked chicken to a large shallow ovenproof dish and pour over the tomato sauce.
5. Place two slices of mozarella on each chicken breast and sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 15 mins then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 mins until the cheese is golden.
6. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3-4 mins if fresh and 10 or so if dried, then drain. Mix the 25g butter with the chopped parsley and crushed garlic and add this to the pan with the drained tagliatelle, mixing to combine.
7. To serve, put the pasta in a shallow bowl and top with a chicken breast and sauce as in the picture above.