Macau Lemon Honey Chicken
A Macau fusion classic: pan-fried chicken with a honey-lemon glaze. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and a perfect sweet-sour balance.
Ingredients
13 items- Chicken thighs 4
- Salt 2 tsp
- White pepper 1 tsp
- Cooking wine 2 tsp
- Ginger a few slices
- Honey 6 tbsp
- Fresh lemon juice 4 tbsp
- Light soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Cooking oil as needed
- Lemon zest some
- White sesame seeds some
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Pound chicken thighs with a knife back, poke holes with a fork. Add salt, white pepper, cooking wine and ginger. Rub well and marinate for 30 minutes.
Prepare sauce: mix honey, lemon juice, light and dark soy sauce, and minced garlic in a bowl until honey dissolves. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Place chicken skin-side down. Cook for 5 minutes until skin is golden and crispy without moving.
Flip chicken and cook for 4 more minutes over medium heat, pressing lightly with spatula. Check doneness (no blood when pierced).
Pour out excess oil, reduce to low heat. Add sauce mixture, toss chicken to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute until sauce thickens and bubbles.
Remove chicken from pan, rest on cutting board for 2 minutes. Slice into 1 cm strips.
Arrange chicken slices on a plate, drizzle remaining sauce over. Garnish with lemon zest and white sesame seeds.
Tips
Longer marination yields better flavor. Fry skin-side down first to render fat. Do not overheat the sauce after adding honey to avoid bitterness.
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