Creamy Chicken Linguine With Cheesy Crumb

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7, boil a full kettle and before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a matching lid over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil

Once hot, add your chicken breast portion[s] with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3 min on each side or until golden

Wash your leek[s] carefully to remove any grit from between the leaves, then top, tail and slice finely

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Once the chicken has browned, add the sliced leek to the pan

Add a couple of splashes of water, your Chinese rice wine, half of the chopped garlic and season with a pinch of salt and pepper

Cover with a lid and cook for a further 12-15 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Add your linguine to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cook the linguine for 8-10 min or until cooked with a slight bite, then drain it, reserving a cup of starchy pasta water

Meanwhile, chop your basil finely, including the stalks

Grate your cheddar cheese

Add your panko breadcrumbs to a baking paper-lined baking tray with the grated cheese, remaining chopped garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray in the oven for 4-5 min or until golden – this is your cheesy crumb

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

Transfer the pulled chicken back to the pan

Remove the pan from the heat and stir through your crème fraîche

Add the drained linguine with a splash of the starchy pasta water and your chicken stock mix

Give everything a good mix up – this is your creamy chicken linguine

Tip: Add a splash more starchy pasta water if your sauce is looking a little dry