Pan-seared Chicken Breast with Mustard & Thyme

When far away from home and with impossible deadlines to meet, cooking can be the least important thing on my mind. Used to do this very simple dish during my uni days… just a few minutes and viola… dinner time!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast fillets (pounded slightly until even)
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 lime
• 20g extra dijon mustard

Marinade

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp thyme

Method

1. Massage marinade onto chicken breasts and let sit for an hour
2. In a small skillet, add in olive oil and heat pan till hot
3. Sear chicken breasts in pan – approx 4 mins (resist the temptation to move them around!)
4. Once it is brown on one side, flip it and brown the other side – another 2 mins approx
5. Remove and place on serving dish
6. Sear the lemon and lime in the same pan and place below chicken breasts
7. Garnish with extra dijon mustard and thyme

I find that this dish goes well with french beans cooked in chicken stock. You can also cook carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peas etc this way too. The chicken stock gently flavours the veggies and gives it a beautiful aroma.

French beans cooked in chicken stock

• 1 packet french beans
• 1/4 cup chicken stock

Method

• Prepare french beans by snipping off the top and bottom, then cutting them into 2 inch stalks
• Boil french beans in chicken stock till tender
• Blanch in cold water and serve