Lemon chicken

Name: Lemon chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 3 tbsp sunflower oil; 4 salad onions, whites and greens separated, both roughly chopped; 1 medium free range egg, beaten; 3 tbsp cornflour, plus 1 tsp; Pinch of white pepper; 2 chicken breast; 2 unwaxed lemons, zest and juice; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 1½ tbsp clear honey

Recreate lemon chicken, one of Britain’s best‑loved takeaway favourites, at home and keep a few extra pennies in your pocket. Food and travel content creator Shu Lin’s recipe uses an easy shallow‑fry method, making it brilliantly doable in your own kitchen. Go to 'Cook's tip' for more help from Shu on perfecting her recipe. Discover more flavour‑packed dishes inspired by Chinese cuisine with our Chinese recipes, or turn it into a feast with Waitrose’s Chinese and Asian sides. Follow Shu Lin on Instagram.

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Serves2
CourseMain meal
Prepare5 mins
Cook20 mins
Total time25 mins

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3 tbsp sunflower oil
4 salad onions, whites and greens separated, both roughly chopped
1 medium free range egg, beaten
3 tbsp cornflour, plus 1 tsp
Pinch of white pepper
2 chicken breast
2 unwaxed lemons, zest and juice
2 tbsp caster sugar
1½ tbsp clear honey

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium-low heat. Add the salad onion whites. Cook for about 3 minutes, until aromatic, without browning too much. Remove from the heat and strain over a small bowl. Set aside the infused oil and discard the cooked onions.
Beat the egg in a shallow bowl with a pinch of salt. In a separate shallow bowl, mix 3 tbsp cornflour with a little salt and white pepper. Lay the chicken breasts in the beaten egg and turn them over, making sure each is coated. Pat the cornflour mixture all over each in a thin, even layer.
Heat the onion-infused oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat and shallow fry the chicken for 3-10 minutes on each side, until golden, cooked through, the juices run clear and no pink meat remains. Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
In a bowl, mix the lemon juice, half of the zest, the sugar and honey with a pinch of salt, then pour into the pan and gently simmer for 2 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 1 tsp cornflour and 1½ tsp water, then stir into the simmering sauce until lightly thickened and glossy; take off the heat. Slice the chicken into strips across the grain, then arrange on a plate, drizzling the lemon sauce on top. Finish with a light dusting of lemon zest and a scattering of green salad onions on top. Serve with steamed rice and greens, if liked.

Cook’s tip

Level up

Make a quick dressing of grated garlic, oyster sauce and soy sauce for the greens.

The geeky bit

Velveting

That silky, tender texture comes from a Chinese cooking technique called velveting, which involves marinating protein in cornflour, potato starch and/or egg white. It locks in moisture, helping the meat stay juicy when it’s cooked in hot oil or boiling water. Light soy sauce, oyster sauce or shaoxing wine can be added for extra seasoning.

Infused oil

Many Cantonese dishes feature salad onions, and now that they’re in season I like to ramp up my chicken with a salad onion-infused oil. This is a common technique in Chinese cooking, where oils infused with everything from shallot and chilli to garlic are used to add an extra layer of flavour and aroma.

Cornflour

If your Chinese dishes tend to turn out a little runny, a cornstarch slurry is the trick to achieving a thick, glossy sauce. Add equal parts of cornflour and water to a small bowl, give it a good mix to ensure there are no lumps, then slowly stir it into a simmering sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.

Shallow frying

I love a deep-fried dish from the takeaway, but I don’t always enjoy the stress – and smells – of preparing one at home. Shallow frying uses far less oil: cook ingredients one side at a time and keep an eye on the temperature, using a medium heat to achieve that crispy finish without burning or overcooking.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe