Recipe - Lemon Chicken

Usually we have a crowd here for Conference weekend and I plan something fun for everyone like make-your-own Baked Pastas or Cafe Rio Salad.  This time there were only a few of us, so I settled on an old favorite, Lemon Chicken.  I put it together and in the fridge before conference, then popped it in the oven during the last talk of the Sunday morning session.  One of the things I like about this recipe is that I always have all the ingredients on hand and don't have to buy anything special to make it.  Besides, absolutely everyone in the family loves it.

Now that only one child is left at home and I don't cook every night (there are always enough leftovers for at least two meals when I do cook), the older kids tease me when they come home and spy frozen dinners in the freezer and processed packaged foods in my pantry.  One of my daughters likes to point out that when she was growing up (in her mom's more ambitious days) we had things like Lemon Chicken on weeknights--it wasn't considered "Sunday dinner" fare like it is now.  So true.  At least I fed them well when they were small, and now they're all grown up and can feed me!  Moms who valiantly put healthy meals on the table night after night--take heart!  You've instilled in your children the habit of Family Dinner Hour they will carry on in their own homes. . . and earned yourself the right to occasionally bring home a pizza (on a weeknight) and eat it in front of the TV with the husband and that last spoiled caboose child.  Hah!

Lemon Chicken  

-4 to 5 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts (6 to 8 good sized breasts)

-1 cup cornstarch (Approximately.  You may need more or less)

-about 4 large eggs

Sauce:

-1 ½ cups sugar

-1 cup water

-½ cup lemon juice

-1 teaspoon salt

-2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

-2/3 cup Ketchup

Clean and cut chicken breasts cut into long, thick strips (about 3 strips per breasts depending on how big the breasts are).

 Dip breasts into cornstarch, then into beaten egg.  This may seem backwards, but it's right.  Coat well and get it in the hot oil as quickly as you can so the oil doesn't overheat.  I love to use Piggy for this. 

Fry in ¼ to ½ inch of oil until lightly browned on both sides (not cooked through).  Salt and pepper both sides lightly.  Make sure the oil is hot enough that the pieces will start browning immediately and not stick to the bottom, or the coating will come off.  

Flip them over with Piggy.

     Drain on paper towels and lay out in a single layer in a large glass baking dish.

 Whisk sauce ingredients together in saucepan until smooth.

 

Heat to almost boiling and pour  over chicken.

 Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or so until crispy and bubbly.

SERVES 8

NOTE:  If you are going to make it ahead of time, prepare both the chicken and sauce (without simmering the sauce), refrigerate individually, then heat the sauce before pouring over chicken and placing in oven.  Add about 10 minutes to cooking time if it’s been in fridge.