Super Quick Chicken Dinner: Crumbed Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

Method9 steps · about 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Turn the grill / broiler to high and set a shelf about 20 cm / 8 inches below the heat source. Use a large grill-safe frying pan with an oven-safe handle. Have the four raw chicken steaks about 1 cm thick, and wash the potatoes and salad vegetables before cooking.

2. 2

   Step 2: Pierce the two unpeeled potatoes, then microwave them on HIGH for 3 minutes. Turn them over and microwave for a further 2 minutes, or longer as needed until tender through the centre. Use a cloth to handle them and check that they give when gently squeezed.

   Uses 2 medium potatoes, washed and unpeeled

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix all the whole-egg mayonnaise (4 tbsp) and grated Parmesan (2 tbsp) in a small bowl.

   Uses 4 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise · 2 tbsp grated Parmesan

4. 4

   Step 4: Arrange all four raw chicken steaks in the grill-safe frying pan. Spread all the prepared mayonnaise-and-Parmesan mixture over their upper surfaces with the back of a spoon.

   Uses 400 g raw chicken breast, four thin steaks of about 100 g each and 1 cm thick · All the prepared coating

5. 5

   Step 5: Sprinkle panko from the 6 tbsp supply over all four steaks and pat it down gently. Use only what adheres to form a coating; some may remain unused or fall into the pan. Discard any leftover crumbs that have contacted raw chicken.

   Uses All four spread steaks · Panko from the 6 tbsp coating supply, as needed to cover the steaks

6. 6

   Step 6: Grill / broil the coated steaks for about 8 minutes, checking at around 6 minutes and rotating the pan if needed for even browning. Continue as needed until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is fully cooked, at least 74°C / 165°F in each steak. Set the cooked chicken aside to rest for a few minutes. While it cooks, make the mash and salad below, returning to check the chicken at 6 minutes.

   Uses All four coated steaks, excluding unused breadcrumbs

7. 7

   Step 7: While the chicken cooks, handle the tender potatoes with a cloth, halve them and scoop all the flesh into a bowl. Keep the skins separate. Add ¼ cup of the milk, the butter (1 tbsp) if using and the mash salt and pepper. Mash, adding more milk gradually from the remaining supply up to ½ cup total as needed for the texture you like.

   Uses All cooked potatoes · Milk from the ¼–½ cup mash supply, added gradually · 1 tbsp butter for mash, optional · Salt and pepper for mash, to taste

8. 8

   Step 8: Use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons from the cucumber (1) and halve all the cherry tomatoes. Arrange them as a salad and drizzle with the full 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp salad olive oil. Season with the separate salad salt and pepper to taste.

   Uses 1 large cucumber · 1 punnet cherry tomatoes; no mass specified · 1 tbsp lemon juice for salad · 2 tbsp olive oil for salad · Salt and pepper for salad, to taste

9. 9

   Step 9: Divide all the mash between two plates, top each with two cooked chicken steaks and serve all the dressed salad alongside. Add a little of the separate additional olive oil and chopped parsley if desired.

   Uses All the finished mash, excluding retained potato skins · All four cooked steaks lifted from the pan · All the prepared salad · Additional olive oil for optional serving drizzle, as desired · Finely chopped fresh parsley for optional garnish, as desired