Hoisin chicken with quick pickled veg and green onion pancakes

These are delicious, with crunchy vegetables and that sweet and salty hoisin-soy sauce. I've made green onion pancakes, but you could use lettuce leaves - and you could substitute tofu for the chicken, for a vegetarian version.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 1½ cups plain flour, plus more for dusting
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¾ cup boiling water
• 4 green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) toasted sesame oil

Chicken

• 6-8 (about 450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt
• 1½ tsp five spice
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp canola oil
• ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
• 3 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1½ tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
• sriracha, toasted sesame seeds, sliced red chili, coriander and crushed roasted peanuts, to serve, optional.  

Pickles

• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp (45 ml) rice wine vinegar
• 3 tsp honey
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 4 medium carrots, peeled into thin strips
• ½ telegraph (English) cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. For the pancakes, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and allow it to cool slightly. Knead the dough until smooth, about 2 minutes, adding more flour if needed. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190°C  (375°F). Place a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and scatter with the five spice. Add the sesame and canola oil to the pan and sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet, transfer to a sheet pan.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the hoisin, soy, vinegar, ginger, garlic and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl. Drizzle over the chicken then transfer to the oven. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes or until the glaze has thickened and the internal temperature of the chicken is 75°C  (165°F).

4. For the pickles, whisk together the vinegar, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add carrot, cucumber and green onion. Toss to coat and set aside.

5. For the pancakes, place a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces, and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep moist.

6. Slightly flatten a piece of dough into an oval approximately 10 cm x 5 cm (about 4 x 2-inches) and scatter about a teaspoon of green onions to cover the surface. Roll dough up starting at one long side to form a tight cylinder. Coil the cylinder into a tight spiral, resembling something like a tiny cinnamon bun, and gently press dough in your hand again to form a small disc. Return the now green onion-filled dough under the towel to rest, while you prepare the other pieces in the same way.

7. Roll out a disc into a very thin circle on the floured work surface, approximately 12 to 14 cm (5 to 6 inch) round. Lightly oil both sides with sesame oil.

8. Add to the heated pan and cook for about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm while you continue to roll and cook the remaining pancakes.

9. To serve, slice the chicken into 1 cm (about ½ inch) thick slices and transfer to a platter along with the pickles and green onion pancakes.

Notes

• For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with extra firm tofu and omit the fish sauce from the pickles.

• Serve with lettuce cups, such as butter lettuce or iceberg, if not making the pancakes.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.