Best Hong Kong-style lemon chicken

Tamara West

I picked this recipe up from Hong Kong restaurateur Margaret Xu — I have never had chicken breast as tender as in this recipe. Pan-fry the chicken pieces low and slow.

Ingredients

4 small	Chicken breasts, skinless (Main)
1 Tbsp	Water
2	Eggs, seprated
2 tsp	Light soy sauce
½ cup	Cornflour, plus 1 tsp
2 Tbsp	Vegetable oil
1 bunch	Spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced
1 cup	Chicken stock
1	Lemon, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp	Liquid honey
1 tsp	Sesame oil, preferably toasted

Directions

1. Score both sides of the chicken breasts in a close-knit criss-cross pattern. Place them between 2 sheets of baking paper and pound using a meat tenderiser or handle end of a rolling pin to tenderise and flatten. Slice into pieces, about 3cm square.
2. Place chicken pieces in a bowl and add water, 2 egg whites and soy sauce. Mix well, cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Place 2 egg yolks in a shallow bowl and beat with a fork. Place ½ cup cornflour on a flat plate. Coat chicken pieces in cornflour then the egg yolk. You may need an extra egg yolk here.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium low heat and place in enough coated chicken pieces to fit comfortably. Pan-fry for 3 minutes until golden. Turn over and pan-fry for a further 2 minutes until golden. Remove to a warm plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
5. Add spring onion to pan and pan-fry until just soft, add chicken stock and lemon juice and bring up to the boil. Season with salt and add honey.
6. Mix together extra 1 tsp cornflour with a little water to make a paste and add to the sauce, stirring until sauce has thickened.
7. Return chicken pieces to pan, heat through then add lemon zest and sesame oil.
8. Serve hot with rice and greens. A little roughly chopped coriander is good here too.

See more of Kathy's citrus recipes

• Pork skewers with lime
• Lamb, silverbeet and orange calzone