Name: RecipeTin Eats’ twice-fried lemon chicken
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 6-8 as part of a banquet
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 x 125g skinless,boneless chicken thigh fillets (or 2 breasts,cut in half lengthwise to form 4 thin steaks); ½ tsp cooking salt; 30g (¼ cup) cornflour; 1 litre vegetable or canola oil,for frying – see note; lemon slices,to serve (optional); 1 spring onion,finely sliced on the diagonal,to serve (optional)

Ingredients

4 x 125g skinless,boneless chicken thigh fillets (or 2 breasts,cut in half lengthwise to form 4 thin steaks)
½ tsp cooking salt
30g (¼ cup) cornflour
1 litre vegetable or canola oil,for frying – see note
lemon slices,to serve (optional)
1 spring onion,finely sliced on the diagonal,to serve (optional)

Stay-crisp fry batter

65g (9 tbsp) cornflour
55g (6 tbsp) plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cooking salt
180ml COLD soda water – see note

Lemon sauce

15g (6 tsp) cornflour (see note)
125ml (½ cup) chicken stock,salt reduced
125ml (½ cup) fresh lemon juice
70g (⅓ cup) white sugar
½ tsp garlic,finely grated with a Microplane
½ tsp ginger,finely grated with a Microplane
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

Method

Step1
Cover the chicken with a freezer bag or a sheet of cling film and pound with a meat mallet to 5mm thick. Season both sides with the ½ tsp salt.
Step2
Whisk together the cornflour,flour,baking powder and salt,then refrigerate the dry ingredients until required.
Step3
Heat oil to 160C in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating,coat the chicken in cornflour,shaking off excess and laying them on a plate. Just before the oil reaches temperature,remove the bowl of dry batter ingredients from the fridge,add the soda water and whisk until just combined – do not overmix;some flour lumps are fine.
Step4
Fry No. 1.Dip a piece of chicken in the batter,let the excess drip off then place in the hot oil. Cook 2 pieces of chicken at a time (if they fit) for 3 minutes until light golden,then remove and place on a tray lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Cool for 20 minutes.
Step5
Meanwhile,make the sauce. Put the cornflour in a saucepan with a splash of the chicken stock and whisk until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2 minutes until it becomes the consistency of honey. Initially it will seem too thick then it will start to loosen. Remove from the stove,place the lid on and keep warm.
Step6
Fry No. 2 (crispy!). Heat the oil to 200C. Place half the chicken in the oil and fry for 3 minutes or until it changes from pale golden to very golden,then remove to a tray lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Step7
Slice the crisp chicken into 1.5cm thick pieces and place on a serving dish. Pour the sauce over and garnish with lemon slices and sliced spring onions,if using. Serve!