Lemon Fried Chicken

The recipe calls for thin, tenderized pieces of chicken dredged in egg and panko, then pan-fried, sprinkled with salt, and then soaked with lemon juice. The juice soaks through the crispy coating and adds excellent flavor to the chicken.

Servings

Calories 711kcal

Author Sara

Ingredients

3 lbs. thinly sliced chicken breasts
4 large eggs
4 cups Panko crumbs
Vegetable oil as needed for pan frying
Kosher salt to taste
3 lemons halved

Instructions

Put the chicken breasts on a cookie sheet between two layers of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat tenderizer until the breasts are about ⅛ inch thick,
In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Pour the Panko into another large, shallow dish ( I used a pie pan).
Coat the chicken on both sides with egg and then dredge both sides in the Panko. Place the chicken on a large baking sheet and continue with the remaining chicken.
Line a large baking sheet with paper toweling. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and place as many pieces of chicken in the pan as you can without over-crowding. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Transfer the pieces of chicken to the large baking sheet with paper toweling and immediately sprinkle with some salt and squeeze over a generous amount of lemon juice from a halved lemon.
Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked, adding more oil to the pan if necessary.

Notes

Consistent Chicken Thickness: Aim for uniform thickness when pounding the chicken breasts to ensure even cooking. Thicker parts may take longer to cook, leading to unevenly cooked chicken. Additionally, pounding the chicken to ⅛ inch thickness helps create a tender texture and allows for quicker frying.
Oil Temperature Control: Maintain the oil at the correct temperature throughout the frying process. The oil should be hot enough to create a crisp, golden crust on the chicken without burning. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil temperature, aiming for around 350–375°F. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature stable.
Lemon Infusion: Enhance the flavor of the fried chicken by generously squeezing lemon juice over the hot chicken immediately after frying. The heat from the chicken helps the lemon juice penetrate the meat, infusing it with a tangy citrus flavor. For additional lemony freshness, consider adding lemon zest to the Panko crumbs or serving the chicken with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over before eating.

Nutrition