Breaded and fried crispy chicken drizzled with lemon sauce, this is the juiciest chicken dinner that everyone in the family will love.
This easy to make Crispy Lemon Chicken will quickly become your new favorite recipe! Prepped in under an hour, it has everything to love in a hearty meal– juicy chicken cutlets, a wonderful sauce, some creamy mash to soak up all the flavors, and a side of greens(string beans). Gather everyone around and enjoy your best life!
Recipe Featured as the cover for Whisk Magazine,2021. Cover shot by Shoshi Sirkis, styled by Anat Label.
Everyone can agree that this is the true meal we all want to come home to! Wether cooking for a husband/wife who works hard, or cooking for yourself, after a long day we all need something warm and delicious to look forward to.
After working in the restaurant night business for years, I have really come to cherish those times where I get to call “DINNER IS READY!”.
I gather everyone around the table to eat and enjoy each others company. From the time my husband walks in the door to when we sit and eat, there usually isnt a minute for us to catch a word. The kids want his undivided attention(Gd forbid we try to start a conversation at this point), he wants to cuddle the baby, and I’m usually frazzled and in the middle of…everything all at once.
The second we sit at the table(no phones allowed-house rule!), everyone quiets down and we get to finally relax.
For me that’s what dinnertime, and a good meal, is all about.
chicken breast or thighs?
feel free to use whatever you have on hand for this recipe- chicken thighs tend to be extra juicy, but also pricier. We love to use thighs for this Skillet Baharat Chicken. I usually do a bulk chicken shop at the beginning of the month, and breast is my go-to when I fry!
the lemon sauce
This lemon sauce is so easy to make and is ready in just 5 minutes! Add all ingredients to a saucepan and let boil for a couple minutes..thats it!
what you need:
lemon juice. fresh is always best!
sugar. I use white sugar to keep the color of the sauce lighter, but you can substitute with brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand.
mirin. this is Japanese rice wine and its also sweet, but gives the dish depth of flavour. find it in the asian section of your grocers or online. I also use it in this teriyaki chicken plate lunch recipe.
sweet chili sauce. this adds a lot of flavor, color, and texture to the sauce. love those chili flakes in there!
soy sauce. a staple in almost all my recipes. I love Kikkoman brand.
fresh garlic. adds so much flavor! mince finely or crush.
the sides
Serve this crispy lemon chicken with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and string beans.
Rustic Mashed Potatoes:
For the mashed potatoes I like to go rustic and do it the easy way: boil the potatoes whole until fork tender, and then mash with some vegan butter and seasoning.
Notes : Because we leave the skin on make sure to scrub the potatoes first. Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are the best for mashing.
String beans:
We use frozen string beans in this recipe, which you will need to defrost before using. To cook them simply bring a pot of water to a boil and add the string beans to cook for 3 minutes. This is called blanching. The string beans will stay bright green and crispy this way! All they need is a little sprinkling of pepper and a drizzle of that lemon sauce. MMM!
Substitutions: Broccoli would go great in this recipe if you dont have string beans, and you can use rice instead of mashed potatoes!
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Crispy Lemon Chicken Dinner
Ingredients
Rustic Creamy Mash:
- 2 large potatoes Russet or Yukon Gold(or one of each)
- 25 gram vegan butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Lemon Sauce:
- ¼ cup lemon juice juice of one whole lemon
- ⅛ cup sugar
- ⅛ cup mirin japanese cooking wine
- 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
String Beans:
- 16 ounces of whole frozen string beans defrosted
Katsu:
- 4 chicken breasts or thighs pounded to equal thickness
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko or golden breadcrumbs
Finish:
- Chopped parley
- 8-10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Instructions
for the mashed potatoes
- Start with boiling the potatoes. Rub potatoes clean and place in a pot. Cover with water, place on the heat, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and cook till soft when pierced with a fork, 30-40 minutes. Drain and add to a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add vegan butter and seasonings.
- While the potatoes boil, prepare the rest of the food.
for the lemon sauce
- Add all ingredients for the lemon sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, to dissolve the sugar and slightly thicken the sauce(it will thicken more as it cools down).
for the string beans
- Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside. (if you are serving immediately you do not need to do this step with the ice water)Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and add the defrosted string beans. Cook for 3 minutes. Drain and place immediately into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Beans will remain very green and crispy.
for the crispy chicken
- For the crispy chicken: add flour to a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Place eggs in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a third bowl, add panko crumbs.
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour and shake off any excess flour. Dip in egg, fully coating each piece, and then coat in panko crumbs.
- Heat up 2 inches of oil and fry the breaded cutlets until golden, 2-3 minutes, flip, and fry the second side. Remove to a paper towel.
To serve:
- Lay the chicken on a cutting board and slice on the diagonal into thin strips. Lay one or two sliced cutlets on each plate. Add a large dollop of mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley. Add a pile of string beans and sliced cherry tomatoes. Drizzle lemon sauce over the chicken and string beans. Enjoy!
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This looks like such a delicious and healthy meal, can’t wait to try it!
I love the secret sauce in your Easy CrispyChicken recipe! Thanks for sharing!
This quickly became a favorite at my house!! the flavor is perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
This is the ultimate comfort food! Love the sauce too! Great recipe!
I love the crispy coating and that you added a little spice to the lemon sauce. It is a perfect chicken for a weeknight dinner.
Thanks for the post.Really thank you! Much obliged.