Slow-cooked soy-glazed chicken

I serve this as two courses; shred the leg and thigh meat, then wrap in lettuce leaves for a starter. Then, slice the breast meat and serve with rice and the roasting juices.

SERVES 4-6 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr marinating and resting COOK 2 hrs EASY

1 chicken (about 2kg)

For the marinade small piece of ginger, peeled and

finely grated (peel reserved)

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder 3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tbsp Shaohsing wine or dry sherry 2 tbsp soy sauce

For the stock

150ml chicken stock

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 star anise

To serve

2 Little Gem lettuces, leaves

separated

1 bunch of spring onions, trimmed

and finely shredded

½ cucumber, cut into thin strips 1 red chilli, sliced small bunch of coriander, chopped 50g roasted peanuts or cashews,

roughly chopped cooked rice, to serve 1 Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Sit the chicken in a casserole dish, rub the marinade all over, and put the ginger peel in the cavity. Cover and leave at room temperature to marinate for 1 hr, or in the fridge overnight.

2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Mix the stock ingredients in a jug, then pour over the chicken. Roast for 1 hr, uncovered, then baste with the liquid in the dish. Roast for 30-40 mins more, basting every 10 mins, until the chicken is deep brown. Keep an eye on the glaze in the base of the dish – you may need to add a splash of water to keep it from burning.

3 Leave the chicken to rest for 20 mins, then transfer to a board. Skim the fat from the juices, bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Shred the thigh and leg meat and wrap in the lettuce leaves along with the spring onions, cucumber, chilli, coriander and nuts. Slice the breast meat and serve with the rice and warm roasting juices. (For ideas on using the leftovers, turn to page 50.)

GOOD TO KNOW 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING (6) 439 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 6g •

carbs 6g • sugars 5g • fibre 2g • protein 47g • salt 2.4g