Lemon Chicken

• 200g chicken breast
• 100g corn flour, seasoned with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 250ml chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon custard powder
• Cornflour paste ( 3:1 cornflour to water)
• Vegetable oil, for frying

The Marinade

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 egg

The Sauce

• Juice of one lemon
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• A pinch of salt
• Fresh lemon peel from 1 lemon

PREPARATION

1. Cut the chicken into 2cm cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and, using your hands, massage the pieces until they are evenly coated, then add the seasoned cornflour and rub it into the chicken. The chicken pieces will first start to stick together in clumps but will start to separate as you continue to rub them. Once all the chicken has completely separated it is ready to be fried.

2. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small prep bowl or ramekin. In a separate ramekin mix the cornflour paste with the custard powder 

COOKING

3. Half-fill a large pot, wok, or deep-fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until the tip of a wooden chopstick or skewer starts to fizz after a second or so in the oil. Carefully add the marinated chicken and deep-fry until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Remove the pieces carefully with a slotted spoon and drain well on a plate covered with kitchen paper.

4. In a separate wok, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over a high heat until smoking hot. Add the lemon peel and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil, once it starts to caramelize add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, add the cornflour paste last to thicken your sauce.

5. Once boiling, add the chicken pieces and toss through a few times to mix everything together. Serve immediately.

TIP: The key to a good lemon chicken is to ensure the meat is as crispy as possible and that there is just enough sauce to wrap around the chicken, but not so much that the chicken is swimming in it. If the sauce is not quite sticky or thick enough, continue to boil it for 30 seconds or so longer before adding the chicken.