Chef and cookbook author Georgina Hayden shares a swift, restaurant-inspired chicken dish that delivers bold spice and depth of flavour without the wait of a traditional takeaway. The recipe, published on 10 August 2026, draws its inspiration from the Chinese classic of crispy duck pancakes, reimagined here with pan-fried chicken breast and a homemade plum sauce. It represents the kind of practical, weeknight-friendly cooking that has become central to Hayden's approach across her recent work.
The dish takes just 45 minutes from start to finish and serves four people, making it ideal for busy families seeking something more interesting than standard after-school or work dinners. Rather than the term "fakeaway"—which Hayden admits she resists—this is perhaps better understood as a home-cooked interpretation of a beloved takeaway format. The recipe proves equally adaptable: while the traditional serving uses warm Chinese-style pancakes, the same chicken and sauce work beautifully spooned over jasmine rice with identical accompaniments.
Hayden's approach reflects the philosophy underpinning her 2026 cookbook MEDesque: Everyday Recipes with Mediterranean Roots, a 288-page collection focused on accessible, flavour-forward cooking rooted in regional traditions. Though this particular recipe draws from Chinese rather than Mediterranean cuisine, it embodies the same principle: taking inspiration from established culinary traditions and adapting them for the modern home kitchen. The book, scheduled for release on 31 March 2026, continues a trajectory Hayden established with her earlier work Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots, published in 2024.
What makes this dish work?
The magic lies in the balance of heat, sweetness and umami. Chinese five-spice seasons the chicken itself, creating a fragrant crust as the breasts pan-fry until charred and gnarly. The plum sauce—built from fresh fruit, star anise, ginger, brown sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce—develops into something sticky and rich through gentle simmering, its acidity and fruit sweetness cutting through the richness of the meat. Spring onions and cucumber provide freshness and textural contrast, while the warm pancakes become vessels for assembly at the table, allowing each diner to build their own bites.
How to prepare the chicken
Begin by coating two skinless chicken breasts (approximately 150g each) with sea salt, freshly ground white pepper, Chinese five-spice and a drizzle of groundnut oil, tossing to ensure even coverage. Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat with a little additional oil, then lay in the chicken breasts along with any marinade clinging to them. Cook for about eight minutes until the surface chars and develops colour, then flip and cook for a further six to eight minutes until the meat is cooked through and the exterior is deeply browned and textured. Transfer to a plate to rest while you prepare the sauce.
Building the plum sauce
Wipe the same pan clean and return it to medium heat. Add two tablespoons of groundnut oil and the finely chopped ginger (from a 10cm piece of fresh root), frying for one minute to release its fragrance. Add three halved and stoned plums (flesh roughly chopped), two star anise and four tablespoons of water, bringing to a boil. Cook for a couple of minutes until the fruit begins to soften, then stir in three tablespoons of soft dark brown sugar, one tablespoon of rice vinegar and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow to bubble gently for five to ten minutes, until the sauce becomes sticky and rich. If the sauce thickens before the plums have softened sufficiently, add a splash more water to maintain the right consistency.
Serving and assembly
Once the sauce reaches the desired consistency, slice and shred the rested chicken and transfer it to a serving platter. Warm the twelve Chinese-style pancakes—either by steaming or briefly warming in a dry pan—and arrange them alongside the chicken. Serve with a bowl of the plum sauce on the side, along with one bunch of spring onions (trimmed and cut into 5cm strips) and half a cucumber (trimmed and cut into matchsticks). Each diner can then assemble their own pancakes, layering chicken, sauce, vegetables and aromatics according to preference.
Key Facts
- Total preparation and cooking time is 45 minutes: 10 minutes prep, 35 minutes cooking
- The recipe serves four people and is based on the Chinese takeaway classic of crispy duck pancakes
- The dish can be served either with warm pancakes or over jasmine rice, using the same sauce and accompaniments
- The plum sauce develops its sticky, rich consistency through gentle simmering and requires five to ten minutes to reach the correct texture
- Hayden's recipe was published as part of a collection of quick and easy chicken recipes in August 2026
