Lemon Chicken
This lemon chicken recipe yields crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a glossy, sweet and sour lemon sauce. The method includes a marinade and batter for the chicken, followed by a two-stage frying process. A separate sauce is made from chicken broth, honey, lemon juice, and aromatics. Clear instructions are provided for preparing the dish up to a day in advance, making it a convenient option for gatherings. The recipe serves eight people.
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (light or dark)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon catsup
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash white pepper
- 1/2 lemon, peel
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
Method
- Debone and skin the chicken, then slice each breast into four pieces.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a shallow glass or plastic dish.
- Combine 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the egg, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, the soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper in a bowl and pour this over the chicken.
- Ensure all chicken pieces are coated by turning them in the marinade.
- Cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade, setting the marinade aside for later use.
- Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a wok and heat it to 350ºF.
- To the reserved marinade, add the flour, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mixing well to form a batter.
- Coat each piece of chicken individually in the batter.
- Fry two chicken pieces at once until they turn a light brown colour, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the fried chicken to drain on paper towels.
- Raise the temperature of the oil in the wok to 375ºF.
- Fry all the chicken pieces together until golden brown, turning them once, for approximately 2 minutes.
- Drain the chicken again on fresh paper towels.
- Slice each chicken piece crosswise into five or six smaller pieces and arrange them in a single layer on a warmed platter.
- In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth, honey, lemon juice, corn syrup, vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the catsup, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a dash of white pepper and the lemon peel to a boil.
- Make a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, then stir this into the simmering sauce.
- Continue cooking and stirring the sauce until it thickens, which will take about 10 seconds.
- Discard the piece of lemon peel from the sauce.
- Arrange lemon slices as a garnish over the chicken and pour the warm sauce on top.
- For do-ahead preparation, after the initial 3-minute fry, cover and refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours.
- Prepare the sauce as directed (removing the lemon peel), then cover and chill it for no more than 24 hours.
- Slice the lemon for garnish just before you plan to serve.
- To finish, heat vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a wok to 375ºF.
- Fry all the refrigerated chicken pieces together until thoroughly heated, turning once, for 2 minutes.
- Cut each piece crosswise into five or six pieces and place them in a single layer on your serving platter.
- Reheat the prepared sauce, stirring occasionally, until it boils.
- Garnish the hot chicken with the fresh lemon slices and pour the reheated sauce over the top.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium718000 mg
Recipe details
CategoryChicken Breast
Authorlazyme
