Crispy Pepper Chicken Thigh With Sticky Hoisin Sauce

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/gas 7 and boil a kettle

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin

Remove the tough outer layer[s] of the lemongrass and set aside for later

Chop the softer inner core finely

Trim your green beans

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

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, chilli 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 thigh 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

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 and cook for 10-12 min or until crispy, golden and cooked through (no pink meat!)

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

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