{"id":20473,"date":"2018-09-22T19:39:31","date_gmt":"2018-09-22T11:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/?p=20473"},"modified":"2022-05-20T14:53:03","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T06:53:03","slug":"lemon-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tasteasianfood.com\/mystaging\/lemon-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese lemon chicken – How to make in 3 simple steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is my newly developed Chinese lemon chicken recipe<\/strong> that has been well tested. The goal is to create a method with chicken that is crispy even after being doused with the sauce, and the outstanding lemon flavor lingers on your palate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although there are many restaurants that served excellent Chinese lemon chicken, some regrettably fall short of being excellent. The chicken is drenched in a pool of sauce which immediately turns soggy. Some are cooked with a gooey cornstarch sauce with hardly noticeable lemon flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This recipe has addressed these shortcomings, which you will expect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chicken will stay crispy<\/strong>.
The flavor of lemon<\/strong> came through sharply.
The meat is flavorful inside out<\/strong>, not just on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at the detail of each ingredient, followed by the method of preparing the Chinese style lemon chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"This<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my private policy<\/a>  for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through this post.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key ingredients for Chinese lemon chicken<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chicken: breast versus thigh meat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can use either chicken breast<\/strong> or thigh meat<\/strong> for the Chinese lemon chicken. Cut the chicken breast into boneless bite-size, either with the skin on or removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asian prefers chicken thigh over breast meat. Some chefs like to leave the bone on as well and cut the chicken into small chunks. Again, this is entirely up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corn flour versus plain flour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cornflour is included in the marinade, the flour mix for coating the chicken, and as the thickening agent for the sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of adding cornflour to the marinate is to pre-coat the chicken<\/strong>. Since the dry coating mix may not be able to coat the entire piece of chicken. Therefore, adding cornflour to the marinade will let the flour coat evenly on the chicken, and prevent it from turning dry and hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cornflour is a significant component of the dry coating mix for the chicken. Cornflour can create a crispy crust, which will stay crisp<\/strong> even after drizzling with the lemon sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plain flour is used as part of the dry coating mix together with the cornflour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plain flour alone will not create a coating that stays crispy for a long time. On the other hand, cornflour alone will form a hardened coating. The combination of cornflour and plain flour produces an excellent mix to create a crispy and airy crust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soy sauce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Light soy sauce<\/strong> <\/a>is used as I want to keep the color of the chicken light and golden brown. Soy sauce has its own umani which enhances the flavor of any food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Egg white<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of egg white in the marinade is similar to the egg in the western standard coating (flour, egg, breadcrumb<\/a>). It adds flavor and protects the meat from drying<\/strong> out during deep-frying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lemon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both lemon juice and the zest should be used in the recipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lemon zest<\/strong> is the orange color part of the lemon skin. It contains the essential oil that contributes to the aromatic lemon flavor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pith of the lemon (the white color part of the lemon skin) is bitter and should not be used. Zest the top layer of the peel only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, lemon juice<\/strong> is acidic (mainly citric acid and malic acid) and has its own flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sauce should include the juice and the zest, as they provide different flavors. If you want to add a pop to the sauce, use more lemon juice that will enliven your palate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honey<\/a> balances the sourness of the lemon juice. You may want to use sugar and molasses for the same reason. I like to use honey because of its flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chinese<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to cook the Chinese lemon chicken<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are three simple steps for this recipe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step one – Marinate the chicken<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Marinating will let the flavor of the seasonings penetrate deep into the meat. This is an essential step to ensure the inner part of the chicken is equally flavorful since the sauce only covers the surface. Marinate to ensure every bite is tasty even for the chicken chunks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut the chicken (breast or thigh meat) into bite-size if it is boneless, and small chunks if it is bone-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add the cornflour<\/a>, soy sauce, ground white pepper<\/strong>, and some Shaoxing wine<\/strong><\/a>. Combine all the ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl<\/a>. Cover with cling film<\/a> or store in a container with a lid<\/a>. Marinate for at least 2 hours<\/strong> or up to overnight in the refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step two – Coating the chicken for deep frying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Marinating the chicken should be done in advance. However, it is best to coat the chicken with the dry coating mix just before deep frying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine the dry coating mix with the chicken pieces. Add some if it is insufficient to cover all the chicken. Any excess will fall off the chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shake off the excess flour. Deep-fried in hot oil at 180\u00b0C\/350\u00b0F<\/strong> for four minutes for the bite-size meat or six minutes for the small chunks with bone. The endpoint is when the color turns golden brown<\/strong>.
Remove the chicken from the oil and set it aside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The composition of the flour mix varies, but below is my favorite<\/p>\n\n\n\n