Lemon Chicken

I cannot believe I have not yet posted the recipe for lemon chicken.  If I have to pick my favorite Chinese dish, this will be it!  The closest recipe I ever posted was the Sweet & Sour Pork, which shared the same sauce base.


My dear friend, Emily, actually taught me how to make this dish and she always makes it at our gatherings back in the day~ So yummy!!!  I missed those days *sob* It's definitely a dish that takes patience to make but it's so worth it!

lemon chicken

Source:
Emily

*the marinate I put in my chicken may not be exactly the same but I haven't change a thing on her lemon sauce, which I have memorized by heart.

Ingredients:


De-boned chicken steak x3, cut into strips

(marinate)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
A dash of salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil

(coating)
1 egg, beaten
corn starch / flour  (ratio is 60/40 for crispier results)

(lemon glaze)
5 tbsp water
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice concentrate (if you are using real lemons, squeeze the juice from one whole lemon)
1 tsp corn starch

Directions:


1. Marinate chicken for several hours.
2. Roll the chicken strips into the egg, and then roll in the corn starch / flour mix.  (The key is you have to roll each chicken strip individually in the egg wash first and then the starch.)
3. At the same time, heat oil in wok.  When you see a sizzle in the wok, Pan-fry #2 until it is golden brown.  (Of course you can use a deep fryer if you have one.)
4. Drain the excess oil from the chicken using a kitchen towel.  (The chicken can be eaten as is - sprinkle Taiwanese styled fried chicken spice, dip in honey mustard, drizzle lemon juice, etc.)

freshly fried chicken

5. Heat wok, stir in the lemon glaze.  (You can use the same wok you pan-fried the chicken but drain the excess oil.  I normally use that oil in my other cooking.  e.g. stir-fry vegetables)
6. When the sauce bubbles, add #4.  Give it a quick stir and plate.
7. (Optional) Garnish with lemon slices.

Extra:
To make Taiwanese styled fried chicken spice, all you need to do is mix 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika or chili powder, and 1/4 tsp allspice.