Ginger and Sesame Chicken

SERVES: 1

1 skinless chicken breast fillet
1 bag of green or lapsang souchong tea (optional)
1 carrot
½ cucumber
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated (or use ready made ginger paste)
½ tablespoon sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp soy sauce
1tsp soft brown sugar
A few leaves of iceberg or little gem lettuce to serve

Recipe Summary

Beautiful, aromatic salad of poached chicken in a lime, ginger and sesame dressing served on a bed of carrot and cucumber ‘noodles’ in lettuce cups. It looks impressive but is quick and easy to make whilst being packed full of healthy ingredients.

I shred the carrot and cucumber using my mandolin as I find that easiest, but a grater or vegetable peeler will work just as well. A good tip to make juicing a lime easier is to microwave it for 30-40 seconds first, then roll it under the palm of your hand before slicing it and squeezing out the juice. If that is still too tricky, please feel free to use a bought lemon or lime juice – it’s all about doing what works for you.

Poaching chicken is a lovely, healthy way to keep it tender. Do try poaching it in tea as suggested below, the flavour is very subtle but adds another dimension to the dish. You could also add a slice of ginger to the broth if are a big fan of ginger.

This dish makes a nice light meal for 1 or starter for two. If you’d like to make it more substantial try serving it with some rice noodles and a sprinkle of unsalted crushed peanuts.

Method:

In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, sugar and sesame oil then set to one side.

Place the tea bag and chicken in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Simmer the chicken breast for 15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked. Take the chicken out with a slotted spoon or fork and place on board. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then shread the chicken with a fork.

Slice the carrot and cucumber into thin ribbons using a mandolin, grater or vegetable peeler – whichever is easiest for you.
Place the vegetable ribbons inside the lettuce leaves. Top with the chicken and then pour over a generous helping of the dressing. Serve garnished with mint, coriander and a few sesame seeds.