Craig Claiborne’s Lemon Chicken

Recipe from Craig Claiborne

Adapted by Nora Ephron

Published March 23, 2002

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(38)
Comments
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—Nora Ephron

Featured in: As Pearl's Twirled

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

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

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

83 grams carbs; 200 milligrams cholesterol; 1477 calories; 57 grams monosaturated fat; 26 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 95 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1302 milligrams sodium; 70 grams protein; 49 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. TO MAKE THE CHICKEN:

    1. Step 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. Step 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. Step 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.

  2. TO MAKE THE BROTH:

    1. Step 4

      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. Step 5

      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. Step 6

      Add vegetables and fruit to sauce. Remove from heat and stir in extract. Pour over chicken.

Tip

  • the amount of extract is accurate. It should be added at the very last moment.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
38 user ratings
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Comments

cheryl l.

Almond flour is a good substitute for water chestnut flour.

Canard

I remember being taken to Pearl's as a kid in the late 60s - it was the first Chinese food I'd ever had that wasn't awful. (Young folks these days have no idea how bad food was in America in the 60s.) Making this dish brings back those memories - it was the first inkling of all the great Chinese food that was soon to follow.

cheryl l.

Almond flour is a good substitute for water chestnut flour.

cheryl l.

1 tsp. lemon zest for each two. of lemon extract works well.

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Credits

When Craig Claiborne offered this recipe in The Times Magazine in 1969, he called this dish a triumph. It still is. For this adaptation, the MSG can be omitted.

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