Lemon Chicken
With chunks of chicken in a crisp coating tossed in a sweet, tangy lemon sauce, this recipe for lemon chicken is a must try. You can opt to cook the chicken in an air fryer or use the more traditional deep frying method.
Introduction
These crispy bites of tender chicken coated in a tangy lemon sauce are irresistible. I use honey in my recipe because it adds a gentle sweetness to the lemon sauce.
The balance of sweet and sour is really up to you – feel free to adjust the quantities to your own tastes. If you like your dish on the sour side, add more lemon juice; if you like it sweeter, add more honey.
Ingredients
| 300g | chicken breast, diced into small bite-sized chunks |
| neutral cooking oil, for frying | |
| For the marinade: | |
|---|---|
| Pinch of | ground white pepper |
| ½ tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | light soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | Shaoxing rice wine (optional) |
| zest of 1 lemon | |
| 2 tsp | cornstarch |
| 1 egg, beaten | |
| For the sauce: | |
| 80ml | water |
| 3 tbsp | honey |
| juice of 1 lemon | |
| ½ tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | light soy sauce |
| For the cornstarch slurry: | |
| 1 tbsp | cornstarch |
| 50ml | water |
| For the coating: | |
| 100g | cornstarch |
| 1 tbsp | baking powder |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 1 tsp | ground white pepper |
| ¼ tsp | ground turmeric (optional, for colour) |
Method
Cook time: 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes or overnight marinating.
Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
Add the sauce ingredients to a large frying pan or wok and bring to the boil. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the cornstarch slurry. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry, while continuously stirring. Boil for 1–2 minutes until thickened, then remove from the heat. Taste to adjust the seasoning.
In a large bowl, mix together the coating ingredients. In batches, remove the chicken from the marinade and place it into the coating. Toss, pressing the cornstarch into the chicken to evenly coat. Shake off any excess and place on a large plate or tray.
To air-fry: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Place the chicken onto a tray lined with baking paper and spray with cooking oil. Air-fry for 14–16 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and cooked through.
To deep-fry: Fill a large pan or wok halfway with cooking oil and set over a medium heat (see note). In batches and with a large slotted spoon, gently lower the chicken into the oil. Deep-fry for 4–6 minutes until cooked through and a light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
For the second deep-fry, turn the heat up to high. In batches, lower the chicken into the oil and cook for 1–2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate or tray lined with paper towels and set aside.
Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and toss to combine. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.
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