Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 to 6 whole breast halves (skin included)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup LOW SODIUM chicken broth
- 1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ginger, finely grated (the finer the better)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt*
* I decided to use a little salt instead of soy sauce I originally had in recipe. The
third time I made, sauce was slightly darker than I wanted it to
be.
To fry chicken
Instructions
- Mix sauce ingredients (everything except cornstarch,
oil and eggs) at least several hours before making this dish to
allow flavors to mix. I didn't do this the first time I made
this dish and it just doesn't taste the same! Rub some salt
(to taste - between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon per breast) on the breasts
so that the thicker meat on breasts will have a good flavor. If
you don't do this, you will have a tasty sauce and the meat
on the surface of chicken will taste good, but inner part will be
very bland. Last time I made this I also used a bit of garlic powder
(can mix in with salt about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon total). Chicken
should be salted with garlic and salt mixture AT LEAST 12 hours,
preferably 24 hours in advance to allow maximum penetration of flavors.
- Place a good amount of shortening or a combination of shortening
and liquid vegetable oil in wok or deep fryer. Wait until you have
breaded your chicken before heating shortening. Next, beat two eggs
with about 1 1/2 cups water. After that, add about 2 tablespoon
vegetable. oil to mixture and beat lightly. You are now ready to
bread chicken breasts with cornstarch. Dip each breast in cornstarch
making sure it is thoroughly covered. Lightly shake off excess cornstarch
and dip in egg mixture. Allow breasts to drip excess liquid before
re-dipping in cornstarch mixture. This time, you want a good coating,
similar to that of crispy beef - solid coating , but not too thick.
Set aside breaded breasts and heat oil. Oil should be heated to
360 degrees F. You do not have to be exact, but oil should be GOOD
AND HOT, but not so hot that the batter on chicken will have a burned
off-flavor from excess temperature during frying cycle. Depending
on the size of your fryer or wok, I would probably fry 2--definitely
no more than 3 breasts at a time. To fry more than that would risk
excess oil penetration because of a slowed oil temp. recovery. Fry
breasts for about 12 minutes, or slightly longer if you are frying
very large breasts. If you discover that breasts are browning too
quickly during fry cycle, you can turn flame down after breasts
have fried for about six minutes. By that time, there should be
a good crispy shell to protect chicken from oil penetration. Shortly
after you have started frying chicken, heat up sauce and allow to
simmer for a minute or so before adding about 1 1/2 tablespoons
(approximation) cornstarch mixed with water. Once sauce thickens,
add about 2 tablespoons hot oil and mix well. Remove sauce from
fire and set aside.
- When fried chicken breasts are done,
allow them to set for about 2 minutes to ensure meat closest to
bone is fully cooked.
- Next chop each chicken breast into
about 3-4 pieces and pour some of lemon sauce (to taste) over chicken.
Remaining sauce can be used to dip fried chicken pieces.
- Chicken can be served over white rice.
Posted by liz at Recipe Goldmine May 26, 2001.
Source: Cookin' Dad - 01-04-2001 08:03 am
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