Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken
Delicious Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken, featuring a twice-fried batter that remains crisp and a bright lemon sauce for added flavor.
Equipment
- large heavy based pot
- whisk
- meat mallet
- cutting board
- plate
- saucepan
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 pieces chicken thigh fillets skinless and boneless (or 2 breasts)
- ½ teaspoon cooking salt or kosher salt
- ¼ cup cornflour or cornstarch
- 1 – 1 ½ litres vegetable or canola oil for frying, 4cm / 1.6" depth (re-usable)
Stay-Crisp Fry Batter
- ⅓ cup cornflour or cornstarch
- ⅓ cup plain flour all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cooking salt or kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup COLD soda water not sparking mineral water
Lemon Sauce
- 6 teaspoon cornflour or cornstarch
- ½ cup chicken stock low sodium
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic finely grated
- ½ teaspoon ginger finely grated
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine can omit for alcohol-free
Garnish (optional)
- lemon slices to serve (optional)
- 1 piece green onion finely sliced on the diagonal, to serve (optional)
Instructions
Instructions
- Refrigerate batter dry – Whisk the cornflour, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then put it in the fridge.
- Pound chicken – Pound chicken to 0.7cm / ⅓" thick and sprinkle both sides with salt.
- Dust – Dust the chicken with cornflour on both sides.
- Preheat oil – Preheat the oil to 160°C/320°F with at least 4cm depth.
- Finish batter – Whisk in soda water until just combined; some small lumps are okay.
- Fry #1 – Fry chicken in the oil for 3 minutes until pale golden. Remove to cool.
- Cool chicken for 20 minutes.
- Lemon Sauce – Whisk cornflour and chicken stock in a saucepan, then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes.
- Fry #2 – Increase oil temperature to 200°C/390°F and fry until deep golden and crispy.
- Serving – Cut the chicken into 2cm thick slices and serve with lemon sauce and garnishes.
Notes
The twice-fried batter ensures a crispier crust that should be served immediately after saucing for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 358kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 25gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 811mgPotassium: 390mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 62IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
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