Chicken & cucumber salad with sichuan pepper

Step by Step

Step 1

Trim the salad onions and put the trimmings into a medium pan with the chicken. Finely shred the remaining salad onions and set aside. Add enough cold water to the pan to cover the chicken, then stir in the rice wine, ginger and garlic. Season. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, the juices run clear and no pink meat remains. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 2

When cool, roughly shred the chicken into a large bowl. Add 4 tbsp poaching liquor (discard the rest), the soy and sesame oil. Stir in the cucumber, cover and chill for at least 15 minutes, or preferably overnight.

Step 3

Toast the Sichuan pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt flakes and chilli flakes in a small, dry frying pan over a medium heat, until the peppercorns release their aroma. Grind in a pestle and mortar and set aside. Fold the shredded salad onions and lettuce into the chicken and cucumber. Serve topped with the Sichuan pepper mix.