Chinese-Style Lemon Chicken
rec.food.recipes/Tammy Jean Shubert-Marsh (1990)
Makes 4 or 5 servings

This recipe is from Sunset's Chinese Cook Book. I have made it twice with great results.

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp each water and cornstarch
1/4 tsp sesame oil
dash of white pepper
2 tbsp salad oil
1 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
salad oil
lemon sauce (recipe follows)

Skin and bone chicken; cut in pieces roughly 2 inches square. Pound chicken lightly with the back of a cleaver or heavy knife so each piece is of uniform thickness.

In a bowl, combine soy, water, the 1 tbsp cornstarch, sesame oil, and pepper. Add chicken and stir to coat, then stir in 1 tbsp of the salad oil and let stand for 15 minutes to marinate.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, the 1/4 cup cornstarch, and baking powder. Add the remaining 1 tbsp salad oil and water and blend until smooth. Let batter stand for 10 minutes.

In a wide frying pan, pour salad oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat to 350 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer.

Dip each piece of chicken in batter, then place in hot oil. Fry chicken without crowding, turning occasionally, until crust is golden brown and meat is no longer pink (about 5 to 6 minutes for breasts, 7 to 8 minutes for thighs). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all pieces are cooked.

Lemon Sauce:
Cut 1 large thin-skinned lemon in thin slices; discard any seeds and end pieces.

In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp salad oil over medium -high heat. Add lemon slices and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup chicken broth, 7 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp lemon juice, and salt to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Blend 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water. Pour into sauce and cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Pour over chicken just before serving.

Note: In the lemon sauce, the ratio of sugar and lemon varies with the cook. I didn't want it as sweet, so I used only 4 tbsp of sugar.