Crispy Panko Chicken with Green Pesto Pasta
(Broccoli, Pea & Rocket, Chilli Heat, Lemon Lift)
Good evening, lovely readers
Tonight’s recipe is… well, a little bit later than usual.
And this, my friends, is entirely because of one person…
Mary!!
Mary and her magic.
My dear friend from America, who has been visiting the UK but is now heading back to what is probably one of the best cities I’ve ever been to — New York.
(And yes… one of the best, don’t get confused — I’m not picking favourites here )
So Mary… this one is for you.
How this recipe came to life
You might be wondering how today’s recipe came about.
Honestly? It was simple.
It was about 25 degrees today where I live — warm, sunny, blue skies. One of those days where you don’t feel like eating much, especially when work gets in the way.
And yet…
That didn’t stop me from doing what I always do:
opening the fridge
staring into it
closing it
opening it again 10 minutes later
Even though I knew exactly what was inside.
(Why do we all do that?! )
And then… it came to me.
I had two ingredients I needed to use, and suddenly everything just clicked into place:
crispy, thin chicken breast
coated in golden panko breadcrumbs, almost katsu-style
paired with a fresh, vibrant green pesto
And just like that — the idea was there.
A plate that is:
crispy
creamy
fresh
slightly spicy
balanced
Plates for Two — always the goal
And as always…
This is a recipe for two plates.
No waste
Proper portions
Full flavour
A dish that feels:
rich
satisfying
but still balanced
Something you’ll want to come back to again and again.
Ingredients (for two)
Crispy Chicken
Chicken breast – 300 g (thin sliced)
1 egg
Panko breadcrumbs – 55 g
Vegetable oil – 30 ml
Salt – ¾ tsp
Black pepper – ½ tsp
Pasta & Greens
Pasta – 150 g
Broccoli – 150 g
Frozen peas – 100 g
Rocket – 35 g
Green Pesto
Cooked broccoli & peas – 150 g
1 garlic clove
Parmesan – 15 g
Olive oil – 20 ml
Pasta water – 30–50 ml
Lemon zest – ½ tsp
Chilli flakes – a pinch
Salt & pepper
To Finish
Shaved parmesan
Optional drizzle of olive oil
Let’s cook this together
1️⃣ Start with the base
Bring salted water to a boil.
Cook your pasta.
Now here’s the important part:
With about 3–4 minutes left, add:
broccoli
peas
This builds natural sweetness and texture without needing cream.
2️⃣ Make your pesto
Blend together:
broccoli + peas
rocket
garlic
parmesan
olive oil
lemon zest
chilli
Add a bit of pasta water gradually.
What are you looking for?
smooth
fresh
lightly loose
slightly peppery and warm
Taste it. Adjust it. Make it yours.
3️⃣ Crispy chicken (this is your texture moment)
Season your chicken.
Dip: egg → panko
Press the breadcrumbs in properly.
Cook in oil, medium heat:
4 minutes first side (don’t touch it!)
4 minutes second side
What you want:
golden crust
crisp texture
juicy inside
Let it rest before slicing.
4️⃣ Bring the pasta together
Mix pasta with pesto.
Add a touch of pasta water if needed.
Look for:
glossy coating
not dry
not heavy
Plating
Take your time here — this matters.
Pasta first
Slice or leave the chicken as a whole and place on top
Finish with:
parmesan
black pepper
optional olive oil
Optional: Add a squeeze of lemon at the end — it lifts everything beautifully.
Final thoughts
And this, my friends, is a plate full of contrast:
crispy chicken
soft, creamy pasta
fresh, light pesto
gentle heat in the background
Balanced, but never boring.
If you’ve made it this far — thank you.
I truly hope you try this.
But more importantly…
I hope you make it your own.
Maybe you don’t have all the ingredients.
Maybe you adjust something.
Maybe you discover something new along the way.
Because cooking isn’t about strict rules or sticking to one cuisine.
It’s about:
curiosity
instinct
and enjoying the process
And for me?
I don’t want my plate to say: “Italian”
“Polish”
“Mexican”
I want it to say:
“This just works.”
And maybe even surprise me a little every time.
Plates for Two — where flavour, instinct, and a bit of chaos in the kitchen come together.
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