OVEN-BAKED ROSEMARY AND PARMESAN CHICKEN STRIPS

Ingredients

• 10 chicken breasts, skin and boneless

• 180ml natural yoghurt

• juice of 2 lemons, plus the finely grated zest of one small lemon

• 1 pinch white pepper, freshly ground

• 3 large day-old bread rolls, or enough to make 600ml crumbs

• 1 12cm-long stalk rosemary, leaves stripped

• 200ml parmesan, finely grated

• 3 Tbsp olive oil, to drizzle

• salt

• black pepper, ground

• 3/4 cup crème fraîche

• 3 Tbsp good-quality mayonnaise

Cooking Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts into slender strips, each about the length of your index finger.

2. Put the yoghurt, juice of one lemon juice and pepper into a plastic or glass bowl and add the chicken strips. Mix well, using your hands. Set aside to marinate two or so hours (but not longer than three).

3. Now make the crumb mixture (do this immediately, so the crumbs can dry out a little while the chicken marinates). Tear the bread into pieces and place in the goblet of a liquidiser or the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the rosemary leaves. Whizz until you have a fairly fine crumb (but don't over-process the crumbs, or you'll end up with green dust).

4. Tip the crumbs into a large shallow platter and add the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Place the platter, uncovered, in the fridge, which will help dry out the crumbs.

5. To make the dip, combine the crème fraîche, yoghurt and mayonnaise in a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and the juice of one lemon. Set aside.

6. Remove the crumbs from the fridge and sprinkle with three tablespoons of olive oil. Using your fingertips, gently rub the olive oil into the crumbs, as you would if you were making a pastry. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Tip the chicken strips into a colander set over the sink and allow to drain for a few minutes. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Add a few chicken strips - 6 or so at a time - to the bread crumbs and turn them over a few times, patting down firmly so that the crumbs stick. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.

8. If you're going to cook these immediately, preheat the oven to 210ºC. Place a large non-stick baking sheet in the oven to heat through for 10 minutes. If you're making these in advance, arrange the crumbed strips on a baking sheet or platter, and place, uncovered, in the fridge for up to three hours.

9. To cook, place the strips on the preheated baking sheet. Bake, in the middle of the oven, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the strips are golden brown and sizzling, and just cooked through. Serve piping hot, with the dip.

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