When it comes to something quick and tasty for dinner, pan-fried chicken with pancetta and garlic is hard to beat. Tender chicken breast, simply pan fried, and  served with crispy pancetta, garlic and sage. Best of all, it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Quick and Easy

We all need quick and easy recipes that we can have on the table in less than 30 minutes now and again. Just because time is short doesn't mean we should compromise on flavour. Pancetta is an Italian bacon made from the belly of  pork belly meat which is salted , cured and spiced with black pepper and sometimes other spices. Added to a dish in small quantities, it can really crank up the flavour of the finished dish. Some garlic and sage complete the recipe.

To save time, I often flatten chicken breasts before cooking. It speeds up the time it takes to cook and reduces the chance of the chicken being raw in the centre without over cooking it on the outside.  If you don't have a meat mallet then use a rolling pin.

In summer it is delicious served with a salad. When you need something a bit more substantial then new or mashed potatoes and some seasonal veg fit the bill perfectly.

Step by step pan-fried chicken with pancetta and garlic

Pan-fried Chicken with Pancetta and garlic

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Course Main

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 2

Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
• 75 g diced pancetta
• few fresh sage leaves
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of cling film and beat with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about 1cm thick.
• Lightly season with pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently sauté the garlic, pancetta and sage over a medium heat until the pancetta is crispy.
• Remove from the pan with a draining spoon, set aside and keep warm.
• Increase the heat and add the chicken breasts. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes each side until the chicken is browned on the outside and cooked through - the juices should run clear when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Return the pancetta, garlic and sage back to the pan toss over the heat for a few seconds. Serve the chicken with the pancetta and garlic sprinkled on top. Drizzle the garlicky flavoured oil from the pan over the chicken and serve immediately.

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