Bánh Mì-Style Chicken Salad With Sesame Croutons

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air and preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Add your chicken breast strips to a baking tray (or two!), drizzle with 1/2 tbsp [3/4 tbsp] [1 tbsp] vegetable oil and season with a pinch of salt

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 18-20 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice your shallot[s]

Slice your cucumber into discs, then slice each individual cucumber disc into matchsticks

Top, tail and peel your carrot[s], then continue to peel lengths until you end up with a pile of carrot ribbons

Tear your ciabatta[s] into rough, bite-sized pieces

Add the torn ciabatta to a baking tray (or two!) with your toasted sesame oil, black sesame seeds and a pinch of salt

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 5 min or until golden and crisp – these are your sesame croutons

Add your hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] vegetable oil to a large bowl with a pinch of salt and stir it all together – this is your hoisin dressing

Strip your mint leaves from their stems, then chop them roughly and discard the stems

Tip: Hold the top of the herb sprigs firmly and slide your fingers down their lengths to easily remove the leaves

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Wash your salad, then pat dry with kitchen paper

Add the carrot ribbons, cucumber matchsticks, sliced shallot, salad, sesame croutons and most of the chopped mint and coriander (save some for garnish!) to the bowl with the hoisin dressing and give it a gentle mix up – this is your bánh mì-style salad

Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a clean board and shred it apart, using two forks – this technique is known as 'pulling'