Chicken Escalopes with Tomato Chermoula Sauce

Chicken Escalopes with Tomato Chermoula Sauce

Serves 4 

5½ pts per serving (Original points)


4 skinless chicken breast fillets,approx  (150g) each
1½ level teaspoons black peppercorns
1 heaped dessertspoon coriander seeds
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons olive oil
salt

For the tomato chermoula sauce:

1 rounded teaspoon each cumin and coriander seeds
½ teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika)plus 1/2 teaspoon paprika
pinch hot chilli powder
1 large clove garlic,crushed
juice of 1 lime (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
½ x 15 g pack coriander,leaves chopped
½ x 20 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Herbed Couscous:

225 g couscous
425 ml chicken stock
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
½ x 15 g pack coriander, leaves chopped
½ x 20 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Place each chicken breast in turn between 2 pieces of cling film and bash and bat it out with a rolling pin until flattened to about 1/4 inch thick. Crush the black peppercorns and coriander seeds fairly coarsely in a pestle and mortar. Brush each chicken escalope with a little oil, scatter the crushed garlic over both sides then press in the crushed spices. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

For the tomato chermoula sauce, first dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small pan until you begin to smell their aroma. Tip into the pestle and mortar and crush - this time you do want a fine powder. Now mix with the ordinary and smoked paprika, the chilli powder and the garlic, then mix in the lime juice to form a paste. Add the diced tomatoes and the herbs, season to taste and set the sauce aside.


The couscous is made very easily: simply bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan, add the shallots and couscous, return to the boil and stir once. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes for the liquid to be absorbed. Then fluff up the couscous using a fork, stir in the herbs and check the seasoning. All of this can be done ahead, including the couscous if you are happy to serve it at room temperature as I do.


When you want to cook the chicken, preheat a ridged chargrill pan or large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat, until smoking hot. You will have to cook the escalopes in 2 batches, but as they are so thin, they are done in moments. Season the escalopes with salt, then lay 2 at a time in the pan. They will take only 60-90 seconds on each side. You mustn't overcook them or they will be dry, but it is easy to see when they are done as they will turn opaque. Keep warm while you cook the remaining escalopes.

Serve the chicken on a bed of couscous, with the sauce spooned over.