Recipe: Bang Bang Chicken with Lemon Myrtle Dressing

Original recipe by Chef Chen, recreated by Marie Duong for Australian Native Products.

This healthy yet tantalising recipe gets its playful name from the method used to pound the chicken into tender, bite-sized chunks using rolling pin (or any heavy kitchen utensil!). Combining zesty, Asian flavours, pop this on your easy, weeknight meal rotation. Perfect served with a steaming bowl of rice or double the amount of dressing to toss through salad or noodles.

Prep/cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 500g skinless chicken breast fillets
• 1 litre chicken stock (4 cups)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
• 1 nub of fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 stalk of spring onion
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 fresh red chillies, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk coriander, chopped
• Optional: 1 small cucumber (or half green papaya), shredded

Dressing:

• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp lemon myrtle oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 stalk of spring onion, angle-sliced Salt to taste

Method

1. Pour the 4 cups of chicken stock and Shaoxing cooking wine into a pot and add ginger and spring onion. Bring to the boil. Add the chicken breast and return to the boil. Then, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool (reserve stock for dressing).

2. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with 2 tbsp of the chicken stock and season with salt (to taste)

3. Pound chicken with a rolling pin to loosen the fibres, then shred the chicken. Transfer to a large bowl, add spring onion, chilli and coriander, then drizzle with the dressing. Toss to combine.

4. To serve, transfer chicken to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with cucumber or papaya (if using), with a side of rice, salad or noodles.