Ingredients

Method

• 4 free-range chicken breasts
• 70 g flour
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 6 baby onions, halved
• 1 lemon, zested and halved
• 2 T white wine vinegar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ciabatta, for serving

Method

Ingredients

1. Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of baking paper and pound using a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin until about 2 cm in thickness. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, making sure they are well coated, then dust off any excess flour.

2. Heat the olive oil and butter in non-stick pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. If necessary, wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, then drizzle with a little more olive oil. Caramelise the onions and lemon over a medium heat, cut side down, until golden, then remove from the pan.

4. Increase the heat, then add the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the stock and reduce by half again. Reduce the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche, lemon zest, juice and garlic. Whisk over a low heat for 1 minute to heat through. Do not leave the sauce unattended as it might split.

5 Turn off the heat, check the seasoning, then nestle the chicken in the sauce to heat through. Serve warm with the ciabatta.

Find more citrus recipes here.

Photograph: Robbert Koene
Production: Hannah Lewry
Food assistant: Claire-Ellen Van Rooyen