Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Lemon Chicken Wings
檸檬雞翼
Recipe overview
Lemon Chicken Wings are an easy Hong Kong-style family pan dish. Marinated wings are seared, then gently braised in a light, glossy sauce made with fresh lemon juice. There is no deep-frying or thick batter. Make sure the wings are golden first and fully cooked through at the thickest part.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 mid-joint chicken wings (about 700 g)
- 2 lemons
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt Marinade:
- 1/8 tsp white pepper Marinade:
- 1 tsp light soy sauce Marinade:
- 1/2 tsp sugar Marinade:
- 1 tsp cornstarch Marinade:
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice Lemon sauce:
- 1 tbsp honey Lemon sauce:
- 2 tsp sugar Lemon sauce:
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce Lemon sauce:
- 80 ml water Lemon sauce:
- 1 tsp cornstarch Slurry:
- 1 tbsp water Slurry:
02
Tools
- cutting board
- knife
- large bowl
- 2 small bowls
- measuring spoons
- citrus juicer
- frying pan or wok
- frying pan or wok
- spatula or tongs
- spatula or tongs
- kitchen paper
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Step 1
Check the wings and remove any small feathers. Rinse, drain and pat completely dry; separate at the joints if needed.
Step 2
Mix the wings with salt
Mix the wings with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Mince the garlic
Mince the garlic. Squeeze one and a half lemons for about 3 tbsp juice; slice and deseed the remaining half, and cut the other lemon into wedges.
Step 4
Mix the lemon juice
Mix the lemon juice, honey, sugar, soy sauce and 80 ml water. Mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water separately for slurry.
Step 5
Step 5
Preheat a frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp oil and coat the pan.
Step 6
Step 6
Add the wings and do not move them often. Sear for about 4 minutes until the first side is golden and releases naturally.
Step 7
Step 7
Turn each wing and sear 3–4 minutes until golden on the other side and about 70% cooked. Pour away excess oil.
Step 8
Over medium-low heat
Over medium-low heat, push the wings aside and fry garlic and lemon slices for 20–30 seconds until fragrant, without burning.
Step 9
Step 9
Pour in the prepared lemon sauce and cook over medium heat until it starts bubbling.
Step 10
Arrange the wings in the sauce
Arrange the wings in the sauce, cover and braise over medium-low heat for 5–6 minutes, turning once.
Step 11
Check the thickest wing
Check the thickest wing: the meat must be fully opaque with no pink colour or blood. Stir the slurry again, add gradually and cook 30–45 seconds until the sauce lightly coats the wings.
Step 12
Step 12
Plate immediately when evenly coated and only a little thick sauce remains. Serve hot with lemon wedges and rice.
Common mistakes
- Putting wet wings into the pan causes water and poor browning.
- Turning too early makes the skin stick and tear.
- Burning garlic or lemon slices makes the dish bitter.
- Serving without checking the thickest wing may leave chicken undercooked.
- Adding too much slurry makes the sauce gluey.
Tips
Pat the wings dry before frying. Use medium-low heat after adding the lemon sauce so the honey does not burn. The thickest part must be fully opaque with no pink colour or blood. For children, cut or debone cooked wings before serving. Serve straight away; do not keep warm for a long time.
