Sichuan Chicken, Roasted Squash, and Greens

Sichuan peppercorns are one of my favourite kitchen staples – stirfried through hot rice, in a marinade for roast pork – and here, they work beautifully with chicken, squash, chilli and honey for a sweet and spicy traybake. Don’t overdo the Sichuan peppercorns – they’re mouth-numbing in large quantities, but if you’re a fan of chilli, by all means increase the amount – Sichuan chicken is traditionally very spicy. If you are a fan of chicken wings, this dish can easily be adapted wings instead of thighs.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180°C fan.

Step 2

Tip the Sichuan peppercorns and chilli flakes into a pestle and mortar, then coarsely pound them together for 30 seconds or so – you just want to break up the larger peppercorns.

Step 3

Pop the squash, chicken, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce and honey, along with the ground spices, into a roasting tin large enough to hold everything in one layer, and mix well so that everything is evenly coated. Scatter over the sea salt flakes, then transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the tin from the oven, scatter over the pak choi, then return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil together. Spoon the dressing over the cooked chicken, pak choi and squash as soon as they come out of the oven, and serve hot.