Chinese style Chicken Crepes

Cook Time 1 hour and 30 minutes (+ overnight air drying)

Servings 12 crepes

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 x 1.6-1.8kg whole chicken, placed on a tray and air-dried in fridge overnight
3 eggs
400ml milk
250g plain flour
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
Pinch salt flakes
200ml hoisin sauce
1 bunch of spring onions, julienned
2 Lebanese cucumbers, cut in half, seeds scraped and cut into thin 4cm batons

Place the chicken on a tray and air dry in the fridge the night before cooking - this will ensure crispy skin

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the chicken from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking and place in a rack in a baking tray.

Brush a little vegetable oil over the chicken and season generously with salt. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes. The best way to see if the chicken is cooked is to pierce between the breast and the leg with sharp knife. If the juices run clear then it’s ready. Rest for 20 minutes.

For the crepes, place the eggs and milk in a jug and whisk well. Combine the flour, 5 spice and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the egg mixture, whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps, until the batter is smooth, glossy and has the consistency of pouring cream.

Heat a 23cm crepe pan or any non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with a little oil and pour about ½ a ladleful of batter into the centre of the pan. Swirl the pan to coat the base evenly in the batter and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden on the underside. Flip and cook for a further 1–2 minutes. Slide onto a plate and continue the process with the remaining batter. Cover the cooked crepes with cling film until needed.

Roughly shred the chicken, reserving the crispy skin.

To assemble, spread a tablespoon of hoisin on each crêpe. Top with shallots and cucumber and then scatter over the chicken and a little skin. Wrap and serve.