food revolution

Have you been watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? I had been following his progress of changing the school systems in the U.K. and was hoping he would land in the U.S. to do the same.  I caught him on Oprah last week and was reminded once again that cooking from scratch is easier, cheaper and most times faster than the frozen processed foods we call dinner.  I have to admit that I have fallen into the frozen food hole.  Since the birth of my second child my time in the kitchen is limited.  That and I have a now picky three year old to feed.  I have been fooling myself by purchasing organic chicken nuggets, all beef organic hot dogs, sweet potato fries, etc...but come on, let's not pretend we don't know that it is still processed and that we can do better!  I cook healthy vegetable laden, low calorie meals for my husband and myself so why am I throwing together a frozen meal for my kid?  Yuck!  I liked this recipe that Jamie did on the show.  It took him less time to prepare and cook the chicken than the 18 minutes it takes to cook the frozen counterpart in the oven.  Sure it takes a bit more planning and effort but what a relief to know the exact ingredients in your food!  Be a part of the Food Revolution in your home and community! 

Crunchy Garlic Chicken 
This crumbing technique is so versatile—you can cook pork or even cod in exactly the same way. As there is butter in the crumb mixture, you can grill, fry, roast or bake the meat dry in the oven and it will go lovely and golden.

Servings: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• 6 cream or plain crackers (I like to use whole wheat or panko)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 heaping Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg , preferably free-range or organic
• 2 skinless chicken breast fillets , preferably free-range or organic
• Olive oil

Directions:

To prepare your chicken: Peel the garlic and zest the lemon. Put your crackers into a food processor with the butter, garlic, parsley sprigs, lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz until the mixture is very fine, then pour these crumbs on to a plate. Sprinkle the flour on to a second plate. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Lightly score the underside of the chicken breasts. Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until the breasts flatten out a bit. (Jamie cut the chicken into strips before dipping to make them look like Chicken Nuggets). Dip the chicken into the flour until both sides are completely coated, then dip into the egg and finally into the flavored crumbs. Push the crumbs on to the chicken breasts so they stick—you want the meat to be totally coated.

To cook your chicken: You can either bake or fry the chicken. If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature (475°), place your chicken on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes. If frying, put a frying pan on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden and crisp.  On Oprah Jamie placed a heavy skillet lid on the chicken as it fried.  It became crisp and cooked much faster!  I would use much less oil and try this method to save on fat / calories.

To serve your chicken: Either serve the chicken breasts whole, or cut them into strips and pile them on a plate. Beautiful and simple served with a lemon wedge for squeezing over, and a tiny sprinkling of salt. Great with a lovely fresh salad or simply dressed veggies.

This recipe is taken from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion). Jamie Oliver, 2009