Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 chicken breast
• flattened out with a meat malletand cut into 2 equal pieces
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 1 tbsp butter
• melted
• 250g/9oz instant polenta
• 300ml/½pint boiling water
• with a pinch of salt added
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for greasing
• ½ butternut squash
• par-boiled for 5 minutes and drained
• cut into pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the chilli and black pepper chicken
• mix the breadcrumbs
• salt and chilli flakes in a bowl.
• Dip the chicken in plain flour
• shake off excess
• then dip in beaten egg
• then dip in breadcrumb mix. Bash gently with a knife to make the breadcrumbs stick.
• Heat the butter in a frying pan and then fry the chicken for five minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Keep warm.
• To make the polenta fritters
• put the polenta into a pan with the boiling salted water
• and cook
• stirring frequently
• over a low heat until all the water has been absorbed.
• Oil a baking tray and pour the polenta into the tray. Refrigerate until set.
• Use a 6cm circular cutter to cut two circles out of the polenta. Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry for two minutes on each side.
• To make the griddled butternut squash
• brush the pieces with olive oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot and cook for 3 minutes on each side
• until tender.
• To serve
• place the polenta fritters on a large plate
• put the chicken on top and serve with the griddled butternut squash on the side.