Sticky Chicken with Watermelon and Radish Salad

INGREDIENTS (serves 3)

Salad

80g Chinese noodles

sesame oil

400g watermelon flesh, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 handful of mixed salad

1 handful radishes, thinly sliced

½ bunch of fresh mint, chopped

½ bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

4 spring onions sliced

Chicken

500g chicken thighs, skinless, boneless

1 tbsp Chinese five-spice mix

olive oil

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp sweet soya sauce

2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 clove of garlic, squashed

Dressing

2 tbsp soy sauce

½ fresh red chilli (or more if you like it hot)

1/2 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated (or 1 tsp grounded)

the juice of 1 lime 

1 clove of garlic, squashed

METHOD

1. In a bowl, fully submerge the noodles in boiling water.

2.  Rub the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, crushed garlic and the five-spice mix. Heat some oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and fry each side for about 4-5 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through. Drizzle with the sweet chilli sauce and toss with the sesame seeds. Cook until the sauce evenly covers the thighs and gets sticky. Transfer the thighs to a serving board and sprinkle them with some coriander leaves.

3. Drain the noodles, and put them into the frying pan (don’t need to clean it)  with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil cook and toss regularly until nice and crunchy.

4. Put the watermelon in a bowl. Add the salad, the radishes, the spring onion, the mint and the rest of the coriander.

5. Mix the soy sauce, chilli,  ginger, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, lime juice and garlic into a small bowl then whiz until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until well coated, then mix the crispy noodles in.