Lemon Chicken

tgobbi's Note:

The all time most popular entree in my restaurant and cooking classes!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 2 chicken breast halves

Marinade (15 min or so)

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (thin)

Batter

• ½ cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄8; teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup water (approximately)
• 1 tablespoon smoking hot vegetable oil
• oil (for deep frying)

Sauce

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 lemons , thinly sliced
• 1 scallion , shredded

Directions:

1. The batter should be about as thick as pancake batter, or just a little thicker.
2. Dip chicken in batter and refrigerate for 10- 15 minutes (This will help the batter to adhere).
3. Double deep fry the chicken, allowing at least 20 minutes between steps.
4. (This is done to insure that you get a crispy, golden brown coating while the chicken cooks all the way through. The oil should be approximately 350º F for the first frying and about 375ºF for the second).
5. Blot on paper towels to remove excess grease.
6. When ready to add sauce, slice and put chicken on a serving platter lined with lettuce leaves and garnished with some cherry tomatoes.
7. For the sauce: heat about a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet (preferably a heavy one- like cast iron or Calphalon); stir in scallion until it sizzles, about 30 seconds.
8. Add lemon slices & stir 1 minute until sizzling.
9. Add chicken stock, salt, and sugar. Stir in cornstarch. cook 5 minutes to thicken.
10. Pour over sliced chicken.
11. *Be careful not to burn or overcook the lemon or it will turn very bitter.

Reviews

[Upsidedown Again]

This recipe is yummy. Tastes just like lemon chicken from my favorite restaurant. I have tried it made exactly like the recipe and I have also cut the chicken into small chunks. Both ways are very tasty.

[a_goddess]

I may have done something wrong, but I didn't like this receipe. It didn't taste like the lemon chicken in chinese restaurants. It was ok. Thought it would be better.

[MarraMamba]

I had been looking for an authentic and simple lemon chicken recipe for ages. This is it. For those who tried and were disappointed because they had trouble with the sauce, i have submitted a correction to zaar. The author just forgot to put the addition of stock,sugar,salt and cornstarch into the directions, and if you forget the cornstarch it will be to runny. this was superb. Love using the slices rather than just juice, all the oils from the peel surround the sauce then. 5 stars even with the error in the directions as it was clearly an oversight.