Lemon & Chilli Chicken with Brown Rice Recipe

Ingredients

75g brown basmati rice
1 carrot
1 chilli
A head of sprout tops
2 garlic cloves
250g diced chicken leg
1 tbsp cornflour
25g sesame seeds
A bunch of spring onions
1 lemon
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
350ml boiling water

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Method

1. Fill your kettle and boil it. Tip the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water and whisk for 1-2 mins till the water goes cloudy (this is the starch). Drain, rinse and tip the rice into a small pan. Add 150ml boiling water and a pinch of salt. Pop on a lid, return to the boil then turn the heat down very low. Gently simmer for 25 mins till the water is absorbed, then take off the heat and leave to steam in the pan, lid on. The rice will stay warm in the pan.

2. Meanwhile, trim and peel the carrot, then chop it into thin matchsticks. Thinly slice the chilli (halve and flick out the seeds if you prefer less heat). Finely chop the chilli. Trim any woody ends away from the sprout tops, and thinly shred the leaves. Peel the garlic cloves and thinly slice them.

3. Slice any large pieces of chicken leg into bite-sized chunks. Pop all of the chicken into a bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp cornflour. Toss to coat the chicken pieces.

4. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a large frying pan or wok and warm to a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry for 6-8 mins, turning the chicken once or twice, till golden on all sides.

5. Add the garlic and chilli to the pan with the chicken and cook, stirring, for a further 1 min. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Add the carrot, sliced sprout tops and sesame seeds. Simmer for 5 mins, till the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

6. Meanwhile, trim the roots from the spring onions and finely slice the spring onions. When the chicken is cooked, stir through the spring onions. Grate in the lemon zest and squeeze in a little juice. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, if you think it needs it.

7. Divide the rice between a couple of warm plates or bowls and spoon over the lemon and chilli chicken to serve.