Crispy Pepper Chicken Breast With Sticky Hoisin Sauce

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

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin

Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass and set aside for later then chop the softer inner core[s] finely

Trim your green beans

Cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel and slice your shallot[s] finely

Add your white long grain rice, 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water, a pinch of salt and the outer lemongrass layers to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your lemongrass rice

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Add the trimmed green beans to a large piece of tin foil (or two!) with the chopped lemongrass, garlic, chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and sliced shallot

Add a splash of cold water and a drizzle of olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, then scrunch the foil around the green beans to form a tightly sealed parcel[s] and add to a baking tray

Put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min or until the green beans are tender with a slight bite

Meanwhile, pat your diced chicken breast dry and add to a bowl with most of your cornflour (you'll use the rest later!) and a very generous grind of black pepper, then toss to coat evenly – this is your pepper chicken breast

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a very generous drizzle of vegetable oil (enough to coat the whole base of the pan) over a high heat

Once hot, add the pepper chicken breast and cook for 10-12 min or until crispy, golden and cooked through (no pink meat!)

Transfer the cooked chicken breast to kitchen paper, season with salt and set aside until serving – this is your crispy pepper chicken breast

Whilst the chicken is cooking, combine the remaining cornflour and 4 tbsp [6 tbsp] [8 tbsp] cold water in a bowl with your hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar – this is your hoisin mixture

Put the hoisin mixture in the microwave for 2 min or until thickened, stirring halfway – this is your sticky hoisin sauce