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Craig Claiborne’s Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 whole chicken breasts, boned and skinned
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon gin or vodka
  • 3 egg whites, beaten until frothy
  • 1 cup water-chestnut flour or powder (available at Chinese grocery stores)
  • Peanut or salad oil for frying

For the broth:

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (optional)
  • Grated zest and juice from 1 large lemon
  • 3 small carrots, cut in julienne strips
  • ½ large green pepper, cut in julienne strips
  • 3 scallions, trimmed, cut in julienne strips
  • 3 rings canned pineapple, drained and shredded
  • 1 one-ounce bottle lemon extract

For serving:

  • ¼ head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      635 calories; 17 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 48 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 113 milligrams cholesterol; 1265 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

4 servings

Preparation

To make the chicken:

  1. Place chicken in a shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and gin or vodka, and pour over chicken. Toss to coat, and let sit for 30 minutes.
  2. Drain chicken and discard marinade. Add chicken pieces to beaten egg whites, and toss to coat. Pour water-chestnut flour on a plate and dredge chicken in flour.
  3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Pour peanut oil in skillet one-half inch in depth, and heat to 350 degrees. Add chicken in batches. Brown one side, turn and brown other. Drain.

To make the broth:

  1. combine sugar, vinegar, broth, cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, MSG and lemon juice and zest in pan. Bring to a boil. Stir until thickened.
  2. Cut chicken into one-inch crosswise slices, and place on top of lettuce on a serving platter. If necessary, keep it warm in oven.
  3. Add vegetables and fruit to sauce. Remove from heat and stir in extract. Pour over chicken.
  • the amount of extract is accurate. It should be added at the very last moment.

1 hour 15 minutes

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