Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Lemon Chicken
294 kcal a serving, against 612 for the traditional version. That is 318 kcal off, or 52%, with 35.8g of protein. Serves 4. 30 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Whole chicken breasts dipped in a heavy, spongy batter made of plain flour and eggs, then deep-fried in a massive vat of vegetable oil until golden brown. The meat is sliced into thick strips and smothered in a heavy glaze made primarily of white sugar, artificial yellow food colouring, lemon juice and cornflour.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of frying oil and heavy batter for a thin cornflour crust baked on a wire rack
Ditching the deep fryer removes a huge amount of fat. A light dusting of cornflour and egg white still provides a textured, craggy crust to catch the sauce, while keeping the lean meat the star of the show.
What it costs you. You lose the thick, biscuit-like shell of the takeaway version. The baked crust is much thinner and goes completely soft if you leave it sitting in the wet sauce for too long.
100g of sugar down to 40g, balanced with chicken stock
Takeaway lemon sauce is essentially a hot dessert syrup. Cutting the sugar in half leaves a fierce, sharp citrus tang, while the chicken stock provides enough savoury depth to carry the intense lemon flavour.
What it costs you. The sauce loses its thick, jam-like consistency. Call it a lighter, runnier dressing that pools at the bottom of the plate rather than a sticky candy glaze anymore and you'll be about right.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 612 | 294 |
| Protein | 38.5g | 35.8g |
| Fat | 28.5g | 6.8g |
| Saturated fat | 3.7g | 1.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 49.4g | 20.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.3g | 12.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs, soybeans, celery.
The method is in the book
This is the first recipe in the book where speed matters at the very end. The sharp, savoury lemon sauce works brilliantly against the lean chicken, but that delicate crust gives up easily. Bring it straight to the table and you get all the bright, punchy takeaway flavours while avoiding the heavy feeling that usually follows. Leave it to sit in the pan while you check your phone, and you'll be eating damp, soggy meat. Accept the trade. It takes a little focus, but the result is sharp, fresh and deeply satisfying.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback