Date and Orange Stuffed Chicken

This is quite naughty... one of those fancy little things designed to sit in the middle of an expanse of empty plate and just thrill everyone quite to bits, dahling...

Ingredients

Stuffing

• 100g dried dates, chopped
• 1 orange, rind removed, segmented and chopped
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 25g butter, melted
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 medium red onion, chopped finely

Sauce

• 250ml strong chicken stock
• 1 large orange, juiced
• 1 tbsp balsamico
• 1 tbsp date syrup

• 4 chicken breasts
• Olive oil

Set the oven to gas mark 6. Mix the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl. Take each of the chicken breasts and beat it out flat: this is best done by cutting a large square of cling film, then laying the square of film down, placing the chicken breast to the side and then folding the film over it and hammering it flat using a tenderising hammer (or the heel of your hand if you're a tough guy cook) – try and be gentle, the aim is to flatten it out not squish it!

Place a tablespoon of stuffing on each chicken breast, then fold it over and secure it using a cocktail stick or two. (If you're particularly agile or were in the Scouts or Guides, you can tie it with string instead).

Pan fry the chicken breasts in olive oil to seal them (until they whiten and perhaps even have a touch of brown on them), then place in a dish and cover with tinfoil before slipping it all into the oven to cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients together in a pan and boil to reduce. When the chicken’s cooked, remove the cocktail sticks, slice it in half diagonally and place it on a large plate, adding the sauce over it. Serve with salad.