Dazz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

It seems this age-old question is a bit like the one about why did the chicken cross the road?

I know the answer to that one though; my neighbours leave all their vegetable scraps out on the front lawn so my flock of chickens can and do cross the road to feast.

This has been going on for five years until recently, when complaining members of the public, moaned to the council that chickens are freely wandering the local streets early morning, seen feasting on rubbish sacks.

After several council visits I've had to reign in Gloria, Cocoa and the others, restricting them to half the backyard.

Now several neighbours are missing the girls visiting them everyday clucking away and searching for worms and bugs along everyone's fence lines.

Strangely enough Pearl set up her nest outside the fortified compound under the market stand by the Ginkgo tree; and I haven't shifted her.

She's become a great sales chicken as I launch a world-first pick-your-own-egg system – a sign telling you Pearl will let you grab a few eggs from under her as long as you pay 50 cents per egg.

The eggs are placed under her daily from the rest of girls, so there's a mix of colours – white, green and brown.

Alas, this new venture could be doomed if Pearl wanders too much or gets arrested by the authorities for vagrancy. Then I may have to come up with a summer dish using chicken and egg.

Crispy chicken strips and Avocado Aioli

Gluten-free, four snack serves

Ingredients

200g boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 eggs separated

3 gluten-free wheatbix

2 Tbsp maize cornflour

1 cup plain yoghurt

2 Tbsp sea salt flakes

1 ripe avocado

½ cup avocado oil

2-3 cloves roasted garlic with skin on then squished out

2-3 Tbsp lime juice

Cracked black pepper

Method

Cut chicken thighs into small pieces, about the size of a matchbox, then pound down between two plastic bags to flatten a little.

Mix sea salt and yoghurt together, then marinate the flattened thighs in the yoghurt mix for two-three hours. Crush wheatbix with cornflour.

Whisk up the egg whites until stiff, then mix through the yoghurt to make a light batter.

Dip the chicken pieces into the batter before coating in the wheatbix mixture and placing in hot pan with a little oil.

Seal on both sides then bake in the oven on 250 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.

To make the aioli add roasted garlic to a small bowl and add egg yolks and a drop or two of lime juice.

Whisk in the avocado oil, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the mixture liaisons together.

Add more oil until the mixture thickens, then add lime juice and the avocado, which can be beaten into the mix.

Once the chicken is ready serve with the avocado aioli and salad greens.