Quick Lemon Chicken

Lightly battered crispy chicken pieces, coated with a sweet and tangy lemon sauce. 
Happy Monday everyone! Today I have a delicious chicken recipe to share with you. Back in June I shared a recipe video on my Facebook page for Rachael Ray's Quick Lemon Chicken made with lemon curd. I was pretty excited to make this recipe, because I had yet to find a good Lemon Chicken recipe that wasn't too tart. 

I read through all the comments and reviews of the recipe and I was so glad I did, because several readers, were stating the lemon sauce was way too sweet. So as I was preparing this recipe I made a few changes and I think I came up with the perfect combination of sweet and tart.

First, I reduced the amount of lemon curd, increased the amount of chicken broth and added fresh lemon juice to balance out the sweetness of the lemon curd.  I also added cornstarch to the flour mixture for the chicken breading. 

Cornstarch adds a nice light, crispy coating to the chicken pieces and is especially great for quick-fry meats for Asian dishes. Goodness, I could sit and eat the chicken pieces alone because it's that good. After making those adjustments, I think the lemon sauce came out perfect. 

One thing I will do differently the next time I prepare this dish is, serve the crispy chicken and the lemon sauce separately. This way the sauce can be used for dipping or you can add the amount of lemon sauce you want over the chicken and rice. Plus the chicken coating can get soft quickly by sitting in the sauce too long, so I think it's best to serve them separately. 

 To start in a medium size bowl add the flour, cornstarch and a little salt, add the chicken and lightly coat. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir fry the chicken in batches, until golden, crispy and cooked through. 

Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate lined with a paper towel and return the pan to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add a splash on vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add the chicken stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any of the dripping with a whisk.

Thin the lemon curd by stirring in 1/4 cup of hot water or broth. Add the lemon curd and lemon juice to the broth and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to a med-low and simmer the sauce until it thickens. 

At this point you can either add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat all of the chicken pieces or you can serve the lemon sauce on the side. It is really a personal preference, but my family prefers to add the lemon sauce over the chicken pieces that way the chicken stays the crispiest.   

If you add the chicken to the sauce, remove the pan from the heat, and sprinkle on the chopped scallions and lemon zest. 

Toss and serve immediately with steamed white or brown rice and additional scallions.
 
 




Yield: 4-6
Author: Tina Butler | Mommy's Kitchen
Rachel Ray's Lemon Chicken

Rachel Ray's Lemon Chicken

Lightly battered crispy chicken pieces, coated with a sweet and tangy lemon sauce.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • coarse salt, to taste
  • 2 3 tablespoons wok or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon (a splash) white or rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2- cup low sodium chicken stock or broth
  • 1/2 cup prepared lemon curd (I used Dickenson's store brand)
  • 1/4 cup hot water or use additional broth
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • zest of one lemon
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. In a medium size bowl add the flour, cornstarch and a little salt, add the chicken and lightly coat.
  2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.
  3. Stir fry the chicken pieces in batches, until golden, crispy and cooked through about 5 - 7 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate lined with a paper towel and return the pan to the heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add a splash on vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate.
  5. Add the chicken stock or broth to the pan and scrape up any of the dripping with a whisk.
  6. Thin the lemon curd by stirring in 1/4 cup of hot water or broth. Add the lemon curd and lemon juice to the broth and whisk to combine.
  7. Reduce the heat to a med-low and simmer the sauce until it thickens about 4-5 minutes.
  8. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with green onion and lemon zest before serving. This way the chicken stays crispy. 
  9. Serve with steamed white or brown rice.

Notes:

Wok oil is infused with ginger and garlic and is usually found in the international isle of the grocery store. Lemon curd is a sweet lemon spread found in the jelly and jam isle.

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slightly adapted from: the food network

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11 comments

Making of a Mom said…
This recipes sounds and looks delicious! I have a freezer full of chicken and I've been looking for new recipes to try. This is the perfect summer dinner! Thanks for the recipe.
When I first started reading, and you stated it had lemon curd, all I could think of how sweet it was going to be...I'm glad you read through those comments! It always pays to read the comments on recipes because sometimes those people have tried the recipe and come back to comment their results. I bet with your adjustments this is delicious.
Unknown said…
Oh yum. THis recipe looks soo good. It is a bit different than any chicken recipe I have made. I think I will be adding this recipe to our meal plan. I know my kids would enjoy it too.
Lemon and chicken are a great combination. I never thought about using lemon curd to add the lemon flavor. I bet that would be really good. Thanks for the idea!
Everytime I hear "lemon chicken" I think of Everybody Love's Raymond! Haha! Lemon chicken is one of our favorites. It has such a delicious flavor and is easy to make.
Unknown said…
I often purchase chicken breast in bulk so your recipe is totally my kind of dish! Love how thick the sauce looks. Looks so hearty and delicious!
Unknown said…
This looks delish! I love chicken and rice and with fall/winter coming up this would be the perfect stick to your stomach meal. My son's not much of a rice eater, but I can always do it with mashed potatoes. Thanks for sharing!
Unknown said…
This will throw my husband for a loop! He loves stir fry dishes and this is just perfect! I always have better luck in my wok than on my stovetop with chicken. Do you think that would work for this recipe?
Unknown said…
Great recipe! I did what you suggested, adding less lemon curd (which I homemade) and more juice. Still a bit sweet, but tasty nonetheless!
Ali Rost said…
I love Rachael Ray's recipes and have been following her for years. Every time I'm in the check-out lane at the grocery hers is the magazine I reach for. I'm excited to give this one a try. I like that the chicken isn't overly breaded or the sauce too sweet. My husband is a huge fan of anything lemon and I'm sure he'll love it. x
Unknown said…
Rice, chicken and a sauce... sounds like the perfect dinner recipe. Perfect for back to school!