Chinese Lemon Chicken

[QSis]

Tried this last night and it's a keeper! Cooks.com - Recipe - Chinese Lemon Chicken

Great lemony sweet-and-sour flavor, over my beloved Oven-Fried Rice (I've adapted the previously posted rice recipe, re-posted here, below the picture).

Not an aesthetic photo, I'm afraid, but I was in a hurry to dig in!

Lee

[URL=http://imageshack.us][/

Lee’s Oven-Fried Rice

3 small onions, roughly chopped (or one very large onion)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 cups fresh snow peas, roughly chopped in about half
1 tsp brown sugar
1 small can chicken broth (14 oz)
2 cups UNCOOKED rice
¼ cup soy sauce

Garnishes:
Green onions
Scrambled eggs

Optional: cooked cubed pork or chicken, shrimp, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots

Mix together all ingredients with the rice (do not pre-cook any ingredients, except for meats, if used) in a 13 x 9 inch pan. Cover with foil and cook for one hour at 350, stirring every 15 minutes.

Mix in chopped green onions and scrambled eggs just before serving.

[quicksilver]

I don't see any lemon in your recipe. What makes it taste so.
Geat picture, it's making me hungry.

[QSis]

quicksilver, click on the link and you'll see the recipe for the chicken. I used 1/3 of lemon juice, as it called for, plus a little lemon zest as well.

Lee

[Jeekinz]

Originally Posted by quicksilver

I don't see any lemon in your recipe. What makes it taste so.
Geat picture, it's making me hungry.

That's for the rice. The chicken recipe in available from the link she posted.


- Looks great Lee. Chicken looks like it came out real tender.

[pdswife]

sounds really good.

I'm printing it as I type... might be dinner next week!

[miniman]

My DW really loves lemon chicken and she like the look of this. Maybe one day though I don't like deep frying.

[quicksilver]

Thanks, Lee.
Printed recipe for both 'cause they both sound delicious.

[JPolito830]

Very good looking recipe...I will be sure to try it soon!

[letscook]

Qsis, what kind of rice did you use regular rice or a quick cook rice (like Minute Rice)
Just was thinking not enough liquid in it to cook rice.

[QSis]

Regular long grain white rice, letscook.

Evidently, the rice to liquid ratio is what makes it taste and FEEL like fried rice from a Chinese restaurant! I've made it a bunch of times now, and it always comes out perfect. I just use some chopped onion, fresh bean sprouts and chopped scallions.

Lee

[letscook]

thanks going to try both recipes this week

[peeper76]

QSis: tried the lemon chicken tonight. Me or my family were not into that recipe much. It is not like the one we are used to having. I will continue to try other recipes. Thanks anyway!

[QSis]

Sorry it didn't hit the mark for you, peeper. But when you do find a recipe that's like the lemon chicken you are used to, please post it. I'm interested in trying others as well!

Lee

[Cooper'sMom]

This is my favourite Chinese lemon chicken:

Main ingredients: 1 1/2 cup of lemonade, 2 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb), 1 lemon, some breadcrumbs. 1 egg

For each chicken breast, use the food mallet to pound slightly on the breast to flatten it. Trim off the fat. Cut each breast into about 4 pieces. Set them aside. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the chicken breasts. (Suggest: 1 tsp total for 2 breasts). Optionally, you may sprinkle some fresh ground pepper on the chicken breast as well. Cut the lemon in half. Save 2 small slices for garnishing. Prepare to coat the chicken breast before frying: Pour about 6 to 7 tblsp of corn starch on a swallow dish. Break one egg into a small bowl and scramble it. Pour about 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs onto a flat dish.

Cooking Instructions: Use a small pot, add 1 ½ cup of lemonade. Set stove at high. Squeeze the juice from the fresh lemon into the pot (strain off the seeds). Add 5 to 6 tsp of sugar. Bring the lemonade to a boil and continue to boil until the liquid has roughly reduced in half.

On a second stove: Use a wok/pan, set stove at medium high, add a generous 7 to 8 tblsp of cooking oil. Heat the oil to frying temperature.

For each piece of chicken breast patty, first dust it with some corn starch. Try to cover the chicken meat the best you can. Then coat the chicken breast with some eggs. Finally, coat the chicken breast with some breadcrumbs. Try to make sure the entire piece is covered on both sides.

Lay the chicken breast flat on the frying pan. Shallow-fry the breast until the crust turns golden brown. About 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Fry multiple pieces at a time. When both sides have turned golden brown, remove from pan and lay on top of a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Continue with another batch of chicken breast patties.

Cut each piece of chicken breast patty into bite-size. Assemble the cut chicken breast patties on the dinner plate.

After the lemonade has reduced in half, use corn starch slurry (suggest: about 3 tsp of corn starch with 3 tsp of water.) Adjust as necessary to thicken the sauce to the right consistency.

This version of sauce is 5 to 6 tsp of sugar to 1 ½ cup lemonade (reduced), with juice from one fresh lemon (note: no extra vinegar is needed) has just the right sweet-to-sour ratio in my taste. Served it with steamed broccoli and rice with bacon and scallions.

[linguini]

I have a great alternative recipe for Chinese Lemon Chicken.

Give it a try ...

[QSis]

mmmm, I like the marinating step, linguini!

Lee

[DramaQueen]

Originally Posted by QSis

Regular long grain white rice, letscook.

Evidently, the rice to liquid ratio is what makes it taste and FEEL like fried rice from a Chinese restaurant! I've made it a bunch of times now, and it always comes out perfect. I just use some chopped onion, fresh bean sprouts and chopped scallions.

Lee

You're right. Your photo of the Lemon Chicken is not very aesthetic at all. I just tried to eat my monitor. Wow. Don't ever do this to me again.!!!

[snack_pack85]

WOW, I really love the idea behind this "fried" rice. Seems a lot healthier. Do you think I could throw all the ingredients into my slow cooker?

Thanks for posting.

[Toots]

I am going to try this oven baked fried rice recipe - sounds so easy compared to the way I make my fried rice. I'm curious to try the lemon chicken too - I've been craving Chinese food so I am drooling over your picture - looks delish.

[BreezyCooking]

Fried Rice in a crockpot? Please, please don't! Actually, "Fried Rice" isn't really all that "fried", & is perfectly healthy just as it is. Veggies, small amounts of protein (shrimp, meat, poultry, tofu) stirfried quickly in about 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat. Then seasonings & cold &/or day-old cooked rice is added & just heated through. Exactly how much "healthier" do you want?

Sorry, but the very idea of "Crockpot Fried Rice" gives me visions of nothing but glop. Well prepared regular Fried Rice is healthy enough as is.