This easy chicken recipe takes inspiration from the classic combination of crispy duck, pancakes and sweet sauce, but makes the idea much quicker for an ordinary evening.

Instead of slow-cooked duck, chicken are seasoned with Chinese five-spice and pan-fried until deeply golden. A homemade sauce made from fresh plums, ginger, star anise, soy sauce and rice vinegar brings sweetness, acidity and a gentle aromatic warmth.

Serve everything with soft Chinese-style pancakes, cucumber and spring onions, or swap the pancakes for jasmine rice when you want something even simpler.

<h3>Ingredients</h3>

Serves 4

Sea salt

Groundnut or neutral vegetable oil

½ cucumber, cut into matchsticks

<h3>Season the Chicken</h3>

Place the chicken in a bowl and season with a little sea salt, white pepper and Chinese five-spice.

Drizzle over a small amount of oil and turn the chicken several times so the seasoning coats the meat evenly.

Chinese five-spice gives the dish most of its character, combining warm, sweet and aromatic notes without requiring a complicated marinade.

<h3>Cook Until Golden</h3>

Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and add a little oil.

Place the chicken in the pan and scrape over any spice mixture remaining in the bowl.

Cook for approximately eight minutes on the first side. The surface should develop a deep golden colour with a few darker, caramelised edges.

Turn the chiken and cook for another six to eight minutes, depending on their thickness, until completely cooked through.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave it to rest while you prepare the sauce.

This short resting time helps keep the meat juicy when sliced.

<h3>Make the Plum Sauce</h3>

Wipe the pan clean and return it to medium heat.

Add two tablespoons of oil and the chopped ginger. Fry for about one minute until fragrant.

Add the chopped plums, star anise and four tablespoons of water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for a couple of minutes so the fruit begins to soften.

Stir in the brown sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

Reduce the heat and simmer for another five to 10 minutes. As the plums break down, the sauce should become darker, richer and noticeably sticky.

If it thickens before the fruit is tender, add another small splash of water.

<b>The finished sauce should remain slightly textured, with soft pieces of plum rather than becoming completely smooth.</b>

<h3>Prepare the Fresh Toppings</h3>

While the sauce finishes cooking, slice the spring onions into thin strips and cut the cucumber into fine matchsticks.

These fresh ingredients are more important than they may seem. The cool cucumber and sharp spring onion balance the sweetness of the plum sauce and richness of the chicken.

Warm the pancakes according to the packet instructions just before serving so they stay soft and easy to fold.

<h3>Serve Everything Together</h3>

Slice the rested chicken thinly or pull it into rough strips and arrange it on a serving plate.

Place the warm pancakes, cucumber, spring onions and plum sauce alongside.

To assemble, spread a little sauce over a pancake, add chicken and finish with cucumber and spring onion before rolling it up.

For a different version, serve the chicken over hot jasmine rice and spoon the plum sauce generously on top.

<h3>Make It Your Own</h3>

If your plums are very sweet, use slightly less brown sugar. If they are particularly tart, keep the full amount.

For extra heat, add chilli flakes to the sauce or place chilli oil on the table.

Chicken thighs can also replace for a richer, slightly juicier result; simply allow enough time for them to cook completely.

<b>The strength of this dish lies in its balance: fragrant spices, savoury chicken, sharp vinegar and sweet plums come together in a glossy sauce that tastes far more elaborate than the preparation suggests.</b>