Lemon Chicken

Name: Lemon Chicken
Total time: P1H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: vegetable oil; cornstarch; soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free); sherry; vegetable oil; chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless; vegetable oil; mung bean sprouts; cornstarch; snow pea pods; water; water chestnuts; sugar; tomato wedges; ketchup; onion slices; lemon juice; almonds; salt

Submitted by kdsm

Chinese-style lemon chicken: crispy cornstarch-fried chicken sliced over crisp stir-fried vegetables and drenched in a glossy sweet-tart lemon sauce. The takeout favorite, made fresh at home.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

10 min

READY

60 min

This is the lemon chicken you crave from the Chinese takeout menu, the kind with shatteringly crisp chicken and a glossy, sweet-tart lemon sauce. Making it at home means crispier chicken and a sauce you can dial to your own taste.

A light cornstarch coating is the secret to the crunch. After a quick soy-and-sherry marinade, the chicken breast gets dusted in cornstarch and fried until deep golden, which gives it that craggy, crackly shell.

The lemon sauce is built and thickened separately: lemon juice and sugar for the sweet-tart balance, a little ketchup for color, and cornstarch to bring it to a glossy pour.

Timing keeps it crisp. Fry the chicken, stir-fry the bean sprouts, snow peas, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts until just crisp-tender, then layer chicken over veg and spoon the sauce on right before serving. A scatter of almonds adds crunch.

Chef Tips

Coat the chicken in cornstarch for the crispiest fried shell.
Make the lemon sauce separately and keep it warm so the chicken stays crunchy.
Spoon the sauce over at the very end, not before; sitting in sauce softens the crust.
Stir-fry the vegetables just to crisp-tender so they keep their snap.

Variations

Use tamari in place of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free.
Bake or air-fry the cornstarch-coated chicken for a lighter version.
Add fresh ginger or a little chili to the sauce for extra punch.

Ingredients

TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL

TEASPOON CORNSTARCH

TEASPOONS SOY SAUCE OR TAMARI (FOR GLUTEN-FREE)

TEASPOON SHERRY

TEASPOON VEGETABLE OIL

EACH BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST
boned, flattened 1/2" thick

VEGETABLE OIL
to taste *

⅔

CUP MUNG BEAN SPROUT

CORNSTARCH
to taste *

⅔

CUP SNOW PEA POD
thinly sliced

CUP WATER

CUP WATER CHESTNUT *

TABLESPOONS SUGAR

TOMATO WEDGE
to taste *

TABLESPOONS KETCHUP

ONION SLICE
green, to taste *

LEMON LEMON JUICE *

ALMONDS
crushed, to taste *

PINCH SALT *

Directions

For marinade: Combine first 4 ingredients in small bowl.

Rub over chicken, allowing excess to drain off.

Coat lightly with cornstarch.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

For lemon sauce: Combine first 6 ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add dissolved cornstarch and stir until slightly thickened.

Keep warm. Heat ½ in of vegetable oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Fry chicken until golden brown on both sides. Drain, then cut into ¾ inch wide strips. Set aside and keep warm. Wipe out skillet, add small amount of vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat. Add bean sprouts, snow peas, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and stir fry until crisp-tender. transfer to heated platter. Top with chicken and spoon lemon sauce over. Garnish with tomato wedges, lemon slices, green onions and almonds.