Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe
Xī Níng Jī 
Chinese Take-Away Style Lemon Chicken
Submitted By: Taz


Ingredients:

2 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken* (Jīròu) - cut into 1 inch 'cubes'
2 Large Eggs (Dàn) - beaten
2 Cups All Purpose Flour (Miànfěn)
2 Cups Water + more for cornstarch 'slurry'
1 Cup Granulated Sugar (Táng)
2 Tbs Cornstarch (Yùmǐ Diànfěn)
½ tsp Kosher Salt (Yán) or to taste
¼ tsp Ground White Pepper (Bái Hújiāo) or to taste
Juice of 2 Lemons (Níngméng Zhī)
Zest of 1 ½ Lemon (Níngméng Pí) - divided
Vegetable Oil (Shíyòngyóu) for frying (apx 4 Cups)
-GARNISH-
1 Tbs Sesame Seeds (Zhīma)
2 Green Onions (Cōng Bào) - green parts only sliced thin

Preparation:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, zest of 1 lemon, salt and white pepper - Add your cubed chicken to the mixture and mix well to thoroughly coat the chicken - Loosely cover and allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes
  2. Once the chicken has marinated, heat your oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high heat until 350ºF
  3. Place your flour in a shallow dish - Shake off some of the excess marinade and dredge each piece of chicken in the flour making sure to completely coat - Place the coated chicken in the hot oil and allow to fry 3-6 minutes until golden brown (fry in batches if necessary) - Transfer the cooked chicken to absorbent paper to drain and set aside until needed
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 6 Tbs of water into a smooth, thin 'slurry' - set aside until needed
  5. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice - Mix (off the heat) until the sugar completely dissolves
  6. Place over high heat and bring to a boil (stirring occasionally) - Reduce heat to medium and add the cornstarch 'slurry' to the sauce pan - Thoroughly combine - Allow to simmer (stirring constantly) for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens
  7. Add the cooked chicken and the remaining zest of ½ lemon to the sauce and toss to evenly coat - Allow to cook (stirring occasionally) for 2-3 minutes to warm the chicken through
  8. Transfer to a serving dish - Pour the remaining sauce over the top - Garnish with the sesame seeds and green onion - Serve immediately with steamed or fried rice and some steamed vegetables if desired 
* Can use chicken breast (Jīxiōng Ròu) or chicken thighs (Jītuǐ Ròu)

Share by: