American Chicken & Bacon Burger

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7

Cut the sweet potatoes (skins on) into chips

Add the chips to a large baking tray with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a generous pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up

Put the tray in the oven for 25-30 min or until the chips are golden and starting to crisp

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic 

Trim, then slice the spring onion[s] finely

Add the sliced spring onion, chopped garlic (Don't like raw garlic? Go easy!), natural yoghurt, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, a generous pinch of both salt & pepper & a glug of vegetable oil to a small bowl 

Give everything a good old mix up – this is your ranch sauce 

Separate 2 [4] outer little gem lettuce leaves and slice the remaining inner core into 4 [8] wedges

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat

Cut the brioche rolls in half

Once hot, add the brioche, cut-side down, and cook for 3 min or until toasted and charred, then set them aside until serving

Return the pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add the smoked streaky bacon to the pan and cook for 2-3 min on each side or until starting to crisp

Once crisp, transfer the bacon to a plate with a few sheets of kitchen paper

Keep the pan and any oil in it until step 7!

Meanwhile, place your hand flat onto the chicken breast[s]

Slice in half as if you were cutting a burger bun, so you are left with two thinner pieces of chicken

Combine the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (Can't handle the heat? Go easy!), 1 tsp [2 tsp] black pepper and a very large pinch of salt on a plate

Add the sliced chicken and mix to evenly coat in the spices

Return the reserved pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 min on each side pressing down firmly with a spatula until the outside is golden and the chicken is cooked through