Chicken with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Sherry

Chicken with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Sherry

 6 x 150 g free range chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic

1 lemon

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

25 g butter

70 g raisins

70 g pine nuts

200 ml medium dry sherry

Watercress and new potatoes to serve

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the chicken breasts along the thickest edge, from the widest part to the tip, in half across the middle, nearly, but not all the way through. Open out like a book and you will end up with a heart shaped piece of chicken.

Peel and crush the garlic, squeeze the juice from the lemon and mix in a bowl with the paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the chicken pieces over in the marinade to coat and set aside.

Melt the half of the butter in a large frying pan and fry raisins and pine nuts over a medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 mintes or until the nuts turn golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the nuts and raisins to a plate and add the remaining butter to the pan. Add the opened out chicken breasts to the pan (you may need to do this in batches) and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until tender, turning once or twice.

Remove the chicken pieces to a serving dish and keep warm. Add the sherry to the pan, stand back and ignite to flambé and cook out the alcohol. Return the nuts and raisins to the pan. Let it bubble for a minute or two then pour over the chicken pieces. Serve with watercress and new potatoes.