Lemony, lemon Chinese chicken
Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 19:44Will serve about four, but freezes well.
Chicken:
500g chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1 large egg - beaten well
2 dsp soy sauce
2 dsp rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbs cornflour - or more as required
100ml vegetable oil for frying, more if needed.
Lemon Sauce:
Glug of oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp grated ginger
150ml chicken or veg stock
2 dsp soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon or 3-4 Tbs lemon juice
2 dsp sugar - don't put all in at once
2 dsp honey - don't put all in at once
salt to taste
2 tsp cornflour in water to make a loose paste
For The Chicken:
In a suitable sized bowl whisk egg, soy sauce and wine. If using fresh lemon add the zest. Add in chicken, mix well and allow to marinate for 20 minutes minimum. Place cornflour on a large plate / tray then lift the chicken pieces from the marinade, roll and to toss and coat well - use more cornflour if required. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan on medium - high heat. When oil is hot place pieces of the chicken in a single layer in the oil and fry in batches turning regularly until golden and cooked through then place on kitchen paper to drain. Set any remaining marinade aside.
For The Sauce:
In the bowl with any left over marinade add the stock, soy sauce, lemon juice, (some) sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt and whisk to mix. Heat oil over medium-high heat then sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant (about 30 seconds) add the stock mix and bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves (you can add the rest of the sugar and honey to taste at this stage). then add spoonfuls of the cornflour paste to the sauce and stir until thickened to a consistency you prefer. Any of the sauce ingredients can be tweaked as it cooks to suit your taste.
Add the chicken back into the sauce to heat through.
Serve over veg fried rice or soft fried egg noodles with a splash of soy.
Chicken:
500g chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1 large egg - beaten well
2 dsp soy sauce
2 dsp rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbs cornflour - or more as required
100ml vegetable oil for frying, more if needed.
Lemon Sauce:
Glug of oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp grated ginger
150ml chicken or veg stock
2 dsp soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon or 3-4 Tbs lemon juice
2 dsp sugar - don't put all in at once
2 dsp honey - don't put all in at once
salt to taste
2 tsp cornflour in water to make a loose paste
For The Chicken:
In a suitable sized bowl whisk egg, soy sauce and wine. If using fresh lemon add the zest. Add in chicken, mix well and allow to marinate for 20 minutes minimum. Place cornflour on a large plate / tray then lift the chicken pieces from the marinade, roll and to toss and coat well - use more cornflour if required. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan on medium - high heat. When oil is hot place pieces of the chicken in a single layer in the oil and fry in batches turning regularly until golden and cooked through then place on kitchen paper to drain. Set any remaining marinade aside.
For The Sauce:
In the bowl with any left over marinade add the stock, soy sauce, lemon juice, (some) sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt and whisk to mix. Heat oil over medium-high heat then sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant (about 30 seconds) add the stock mix and bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves (you can add the rest of the sugar and honey to taste at this stage). then add spoonfuls of the cornflour paste to the sauce and stir until thickened to a consistency you prefer. Any of the sauce ingredients can be tweaked as it cooks to suit your taste.
Add the chicken back into the sauce to heat through.
Serve over veg fried rice or soft fried egg noodles with a splash of soy.