Tender lemon chicken is a family favourite at the Chinese restaurant but now you can make it yourself, with broccoli.

? Serves: 4-6
? Prep: 30 mins (or a 10 mins quick version)   Cook : 20-30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 500g raw chicken, diced
• 1 large head broccoli
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons corn flour
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Zest and juice lemon
2. Mix diced chicken and 1/2 of the lemon zest
3. Chop broccoli into medium sized florets and also trim and chop broccoli stalk
4. Take three small bowls and put flour in one, lightly-beaten eggs in the next, and breadcrumbs in the last
5. Take a piece of chicken and coat in flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs and place on a plate
6. Repeat with remaining chicken (get kids to help with this, it’s messy but fun)
7. Heat oil in a large frypan on medium heat
8. Add chicken to pan (if it doesn’t all fit you can cook in batches, adding more oil as needed)
9. Cook each side for around 3-4 minutes
10. Whilst chicken is cooking, steam broccoli (you can do this by placing in bowl with a teaspoon of water, covering and microwaving for 3 minutes)
11. Remove chicken from pan
12. To make sauce, add chicken stock and lemon juice into the chicken frypan still on medium heat
13. Add sugar and remaining lemon zest
14. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar
15. In a small bowl mix corn flour and water
16. Add corn flour paste to lemon sauce and stir well
17. Cook for about a minute or until sauce thickens
18. Remove pan from heat and add in chicken and broccoli
19. Mix and serve

Serve with basmati rice and a simple salad or steamed veg

Notes

Cooking time will vary based on chicken size. To test if chicken is cooked cut through one piece and check there is no pink, if more cooking is required, turn down heat so chicken cooks though but doesn’t burn.

Quicker, less-messy version: Exclude plain flour, egg and breadcrumbs from ingredients list. Mix the chicken and lemon rind, (skip steps 4-6 which is crumbing the chicken) and then cook.

Tip: Instead of panko breadcrumbs you can make your own by blitzing 4 pieces of toast in the food processor.