Speedy stuffed chicken with pesto and pancetta

You can’t get much easier than this – just pop everything together in a  tin, roast and let the flavours mingle. It makes a gorgeous creamy sauce too, to serve alongside.

Get ahead.  You can assemble this several hours in advance and leave covered in the fridge.

SERVES 8 PREP 15 MINS

COOK  30 MINS

8 chicken breasts with skin on

150g pesto

50g white breadcrumbs

1tbsp chicken seasoning

2 x 70g pancetta pieces

1 red onion, chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

2tbsp olive oil

200ml white wine

4tbsp crème fraiche

Small bunch fresh basil

 

1 Heat oven to 200C, Gas 6. Cut a 2cm slit in each of the chicken pieces, to make little pockets. Put into a non-stick roasting tin.  Put the pesto into a bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs. Spoon the pesto into the chicken pockets.

2 Season chicken generously with salt and ground black pepper, then sprinkle over the chicken seasoning.

3 Scatter over the pancetta, red onion and lemon zest. Drizzle over the lemon juice and olive oil.

4 Pour the wine and crème fraiche into a jug and mix together with a fork. Pour around the chicken. Cook for 30 mins. Serve the chicken with fresh basil leaves, to finish and the sauce separately in a jug.

Per serving: 422 cals, 24g fat (5g saturated), 7g carbs