Spicy cold chicken salad

1 double chicken breast (200g)
1/2 lebanese cucumber
2 sprigs spring onion or shallots (depending on preference)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
salt (to taste)
dried chilli flakes (to taste)

1. To poach the chicken breast, bring water or stock to a low simmer in a pot. I used a vegetable stock with lemongrass & star anise in it. This isn’t strictly necessary, so feel free to just use water or vegetable stock by itself.

2. Pop the chicken breast in and top the liquid up so that the chicken breast is submerged by at least 2cm. Now heat the pot up until the liquid boils and then reduce back to a simmer. Simmer for five minutes then turn the heat right off, put a lid on and pop the pot to one side for 15 minutes. Pull the chicken out at the 15 minute mark and it should be moist and just done. Plunge the chicken in ice water to stop the cooking process and then shred finely.

3. Remove the cucumber’s seeds and then shred or grate the cucumber up to look like green worms. Chill to keep crisp. Chop the shallots or spring onions up into 5mm pieces.

4. Mix the remaining ingredients together and toss with the chicken, cucumber & shallots. Serve cold.