Chinese Lemon Chicken

Method10 steps · about 1 hr 5 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Cut the chicken (1 lb) into 4 cm chunks and toss with 2 tsp Shaoxing wine, ½ tsp marinade salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp marinade sesame oil, ⅛ tsp marinade white pepper and 1 tbsp marinade cornstarch. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. While it marinates, wash the lemons and prepare ¼ cup juice, 1 tsp zest and thin slices from about half a lemon; cut the 3 mm rounds into sixths. Keep the lemon ingredients separate from raw chicken. In another bowl, mix 1½ tbsp sauce cornstarch with 1½ tbsp slurry water and set aside. Choose either the wet-batter step 2 or the dry-coating step 3, then continue at step 4; use only one coating.

   Chicken marination · 20 minUses 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 cm chunks · 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine · ½ teaspoon salt · ¼ teaspoon garlic powder · ¼ teaspoon sesame oil · ⅛ teaspoon white pepper · 1 tablespoon cornstarch · 1–2 lemons: prepare ¼ cup juice, 1 tsp zest and slices

2. 2

   Step 2: Wet-batter route only: mix ½ cup of the wet-batter flour (¾ cup) with 2 tbsp wet-batter cornstarch, ¼ tsp wet-batter salt, ⅛ tsp baking powder, ⅛ tsp wet-batter white pepper and the optional pinch of turmeric. Put the remaining ¼ cup flour on a separate dredging plate. Just before frying, stir ½ cup cold mild lager or plain seltzer and ¼ tsp wet-batter sesame oil into the batter until smooth. Heat enough neutral oil for deep frying in a small pot to 175°C/350°F. The marinated chicken should be moist with no standing liquid. Dredge the first 5–6 pieces in the reserved flour, coat with batter and carefully lower into the oil using utensils. Maintain about 160°C/325°F after loading. Skip step 3 and go straight to step 4; save the remaining marinated chicken, batter and dredging flour for the later batches.

   Uses ¾ cup flour allowance: ½ cup batter and ¼ cup dredging · 2 tablespoons cornstarch · ¼ teaspoon salt · ⅛ teaspoon baking powder · ⅛ teaspoon white pepper · Pinch turmeric powder (optional) · ¼ teaspoon sesame oil · ½ cup cold mild lager or plain seltzer for wet batter

3. 3

   Step 3: Dry-coating route only: skip step 2. Combine ½ cup dry-coating cornstarch, 2 tbsp dry-coating flour, ¼ tsp dry-coating salt, ⅛ tsp dry-coating white pepper, the optional pinch of turmeric and ¼ tsp dry-coating sesame oil. Heat 1½–2 cups neutral oil in a wok to 160°C/325°F. Dredge the first 5–6 pieces of marinated chicken in this dry mixture and carefully lower into the oil. Continue immediately at step 4; save the remaining marinated chicken and dry mixture for later batches.

   Uses ½ cup cornstarch for dry coating · 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour · ¼ teaspoon salt · ⅛ teaspoon white pepper · Pinch turmeric powder (optional) · ¼ teaspoon sesame oil · 1½–2 cups neutral oil for dry-coating shallow frying · First 5–6 pieces of marinated chicken from step 1, dry-coating route only

4. 4

   Step 4: For the chosen route, fry the first batch while turning the pieces occasionally. Check from 2 minutes within the 2–3-minute guide; continue until light golden and the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F. Lift onto a rack or paper-towel-lined plate and drain. Coat and fry the remaining marinated chicken in batches of 5–6, using only the remaining coating from the chosen step 2 or 3. Keep the oil around 160°C/325°F and check each batch independently. Retain the frying oil in the pan for the second fry. Do not leave a heated oil pan unattended.

   First chicken fry: check after 2 minutes · 2 minUses First coated chicken pieces and frying oil from step 2, wet-batter route only · First coated chicken pieces and frying oil from step 3, dry-coating route only · Remaining marinated chicken from step 1, for successive 5–6-piece batches · Remaining prepared batter and dredging flour from step 2, wet-batter route only · Remaining prepared dry coating from step 3, dry-coating route only

5. 5

   Step 5: Let each drained first-fried batch cool for at least 5 minutes before refrying. Start this 5-minute pause when the last batch is lifted out, so every piece has had the minimum pause. Remove the oil pan from heat during the pause, and keep the fried chicken separate from raw-contact coating leftovers. Discard unused raw-contact batter or dry coating.

   Pause before second fry · 5 minUses All drained first-fried chicken from step 4, lifted away from the retained frying oil

6. 6

   Step 6: Combine the prepared ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tsp zest and small lemon slices from step 1 with ⅓ cup sauce water, ¼ cup sugar and ¼ tsp sauce salt in a non-reactive or stainless-steel saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and keep it warm over low heat while refrying the chicken. Use a separate burner for the oil pan.

   Uses ¼ cup prepared lemon juice, 1 tsp zest and sliced half lemon from step 1 · ⅓ cup water for sauce · ¼ cup white granulated sugar · ¼ teaspoon salt

7. 7

   Step 7: Reheat the retained frying oil to 175°C/350°F. Divide the rested chicken into two manageable refrying batches. Fry the first batch for about 2 minutes while keeping the oil at least 160°C/325°F, turning as needed, until crisp and still fully cooked to 74°C/165°F. Drain onto a clean rack or plate; keep this finished first batch separate from the oil while finishing the second.

   First refrying batch · 2 minUses First of two refrying batches of rested chicken from step 5 · Retained frying oil from step 4, reheated for the second fry

8. 8

   Step 8: Bring the retained oil back to 175°C/350°F and refry the remaining rested chicken for about 2 minutes, maintaining at least 160°C/325°F, until crisp and fully cooked to 74°C/165°F. Drain on the clean rack or plate alongside the first completed refrying batch. Turn off the oil burner once all chicken is finished.

   Second refrying batch · 2 minUses Remaining rested chicken from step 5, for the second refrying batch · Retained frying oil from the first refry in step 7 · Finished drained first batch from step 7, held separately

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir the prepared slurry again. With the lemon sauce gently simmering, add slurry gradually while stirring, stopping as soon as the sauce coats a spoon. The whole slurry may not be needed; discard any remainder. Keep this saucepan separate from the frying oil.

   Uses All lemon sauce from step 6 · Stirred slurry from step 1, added gradually only as needed

10. 10

    Step 10: Fold the fully refried, drained chicken into the thickened lemon sauce with 3–4 scooping motions, just until lightly coated. Plate into four servings and eat immediately. Add a few extra fresh lemon slices from the prepared lemons if desired.

    Uses All finished chicken from step 8, lifted separately from the retained frying oil · All thickened lemon sauce from step 9 · Optional extra prepared lemon slices from step 1 for garnish