Savory Lemon-Infused Chinese Fried Chicken

One day, in a sun-drenched alley, I came across an unforgettable delicacy - fried chicken with dried lemon. The sweet and sour taste seemed to take me back to the summer of my childhood. Today, let me take you to relive this beauty together!

What is Lemon Fried Chicken?

Fried chicken with dried lemon, as the name suggests, is a delicious dish made with chicken as the main ingredient and dried lemon (or fresh lemon) as the seasoning. It tastes fresh and juicy, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, exuding a refreshing lemon aroma, with a mixture of sour and sweet, which is endless aftertaste.

Chicken is a common ingredient, and its fresh taste and rich nutritional value are well-loved by everyone. Lemon, with its unique sour taste and fresh aroma, has become an indispensable seasoning in many dishes. Combining the two and cooking them by frying can not only retain the original flavor of the chicken, but also allow the aroma of lemon to fully penetrate the chicken, thus creating this unforgettable delicacy.

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Ingredients you need to make the perfect pan-fried chicken include:

Main ingredients:

Chicken Chicken Thighs: As the main ingredient, they provide rich meat texture and taste.

Lemon: Used for seasoning and enhancing flavor, giving dishes a refreshing sour taste.

Garnish:

Onion, chili pepper, coriander, and minced garlic: add aroma and sweetness to the dish.

Seasoning:

Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce: used for seasoning and adding saltiness to dishes.

Starch: used for thickening and increasing the thickness of dishes.

Black pepper, sea salt: used for seasoning, adding aroma and spicy taste to dishes.

Alternatives:

Chicken thighs: Chicken breast or other poultry can be used instead.

Lemon: You can use vinegar or other citrus fruits instead.

Light soy sauce: can be replaced with soy sauce or other seasoning sauces.

Dark soy sauce: can be replaced with aged vinegar or other seasoning sauces.

Oyster sauce: You can use pepper oil or other sesame oil instead.

Starch: Corn starch or potato starch can be used instead.

Black pepper: You can use white pepper or other spices instead.

Tips for Success

The first step is to marinate the chicken, which is the key to making the chicken tasty. Cut the chicken thighs into small pieces, put them in a bowl, add minced garlic, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, starch, black pepper and sea salt, stir well, and marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the chicken to fully absorb the aroma of these seasonings.

When frying chicken, it is important to use a hot pan and cool oil. Heat the pan first, then pour in a proper amount of cooking oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan. Add the marinated chicken and fry slowly over medium-low heat. Don't rush to turn it over. Wait until one side is golden brown, which takes about 3-4 minutes, then turn it over and fry the other side. The chicken fried in this way will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Onions are also the soul of this dish. After the chicken is fried, cut the onions into small pieces and put them into the pan, stir-frying with the chicken. When the onions are fried soft, they will emit a sweet fragrance, making the whole dish more flavorful.

You can add chili peppers according to your taste. If you like spicy food, add a few more and stir-fry with onions and chicken to let the spicy flavor penetrate into the chicken.

Lemon is the finishing touch of this dish. Cut the lemon into thin slices and put it into the pan to fry for a while when the chicken is almost ready. The lemon slices will emit a fresh fragrance when heated, giving the chicken a light lemony fragrance. Don't fry the lemon for too long, about 1-2 minutes is enough, otherwise the lemon will become bitter.