Do you have plans this Valentine’s Day? Or do you simply see this day as grossly commercialised? I wouldn’t say I am a huge fan who goes all out but then I am not going to say no to a bunch of flowers and a nicer meal out than our usual Tuesday night pizza and beer dinner date! ‘Can you not show your love all year round?’ or ‘It’s such a pain going out the same night as everyone else’ the pessimists say. The fact is while this shouldn’t be your only night to spend time with your loved one, most of us are often busy. Is it such a bad thing to add a bit of romance? And as for dinner reservations, I have never had a problem getting a table! Saying all this, cuddly giant teddy bears, ‘Be Mine’ balloons and heart shaped jewellery can stay well away!
If you are deciding to stay in this Valentine’s Day then I recommend this Chicken in Parma Ham with a White Wine Sauce and Courgettes. I serve this on a bed of wilted spinach and a side of plain boiled potatoes. I add some fresh lemon juice to the creamy white wine sauce and always make sure that the potatoes soak up all the tangy, delicious juices. This is also a really quick and easy meal for those wanting to cook a special meal after work! But this doesn’t have to be a recipe that you get out just once a year. This dish sometimes falls onto my weekend meal plan as it is easy to make but still feels a little indulgent and special, perfect for a relaxing sunday night dinner to finish off the weekend.
- 1 courgette (diced into cubes)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 4 slices parma ham
- 100ml single cream
- 20g butter
- 1 tbpsn crème fraîche
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 slices of lemon
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- 2 shallots (peeled and finely sliced)
- 100ml white wine
- Olive oil
- Salt/ pepper
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Wrap the two slices of parma ham around each chicken breast. Lay the lemon slices out on a baking try and place the chicken on top. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and black pepper on top of the chicken. Bake in the oven for around 20/25 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
- In the meantime add a dash of olive oil to a large frying pan. Add the onions and garlic to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook on a gentle heat until the onions are soft and starting to turn golden.
- Add the courgettes and continue to cook for another 3 mins. Then pour in the white wine, cream and crème fraîche. Mix well and then leave to cook for another 5 mins.
- Add the spinach to a sieve and pour hot water from a kettle over the spinach until it starts to wilt. Plate up the spinach.
- Take the chicken out of the oven and place on top of the spinach.
- Take the pan with the creamy courgettes off the heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce and courgettes on top of the chicken and spinach.
- Serve with some boiled potatoes on the side.
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