Asian-Style Chicken Lettuce Cups with Saigon Spicy Sauce

Serves 6

2 Mahy Farms chicken breasts, skinned (approx. 600g)
1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
2 star anise
3 cloves
6 black peppercorns
1 pouch chicken stock
1 Tsp salt

Salad ingredients:
2 baby gem lettuces
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
1 yellow pepper, julienned
½ bag mung bean sprouts
½ red onion, very finely sliced
¼ telegraph cucumber, sliced lengthways, deseeded and thinly sliced into half moons
2-3 radishes, thinly sliced
Mint and coriander leaves, to garnish
Sabato Julie Le Clerc Saigon spicy sauce
100g blanched peanuts, roasted in 150˚C oven for 25 minutes until golden, chopped

Bring the chicken breasts to room temperature. In a lidded saucepan large enough to fit them snugly in a single layer, heat the oil over a moderate heat.  Add the star anise, cloves and peppercorns and fry until fragrant (approx. 2 minutes). Add the chicken stock and enough water to ensure chicken will be completely covered. Add salt and bring to boil.  When at boiling point, add chicken breasts in a single layer and bring back to boil with lid on.  Immediately lower heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Turn off heat and leave chicken to rest with the lid on for 1 ½ hours. Once cool, it can be refrigerated in the stock. When ready to use, shred chicken with the grain of the meat.

Separate and wash lettuce leaves, choosing the best. This can be done ahead of time and leaves stored in plastic container in the fridge until needed.

The salad ingredients can be stored in ice water in the fridge until needed. Just drain well for assembly.

To assemble, fill lettuce cups with all of the salad ingredients, top with chicken, herbs, Saigon spicy sauce and garnish with peanuts.