Crispy Lemon Chicken - Again

I blogged about this recipe before but once again I have made a few changes...bringing it that much closer to how I remember it being made at a long-gone restaurant. I know I won't ever be able to make it taste exactly like theirs. For one thing, I refuse to add MSG (the chef confessed one afternoon before they sold the place). And well...there are several other reasons (the ones that separates me from a professional chef and my kitchen from a restaurant kitchen). But....aside from all that...my family and I love this chicken. It has a strong lemon flavor without being sour. The chicken is moist and the coating is crisp.

The ingredients are simple:

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs seasoned with desired amounts of  salt & pepper (if you prefer breasts....go for it, but I'd recommend 3 breasts, butterflied)

Essence from 2 lemons (save the lemons to squeeze for the juice)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 - 3 lemons) 

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups Panko

Vegetable oil 

Lemon slices for garnishing

In a heavy skillet, heat up about 1/4" of vegetable oil. You want it splattering hot when you add the chicken.

Get out 3 shallow, wide bowls (pie pans work great, but I couldn't find mine }: )

First off, get your lemon essence taken care and toss it into one of the wide bowls. Now squeeze the bald lemons and add the juice to the essence.

Add the egg and sour cream to the lemon bowl and mix well:

Put the flour in one of the other bowls and the Panko into the last bowl. Line them up: flour bowl first, then the lemon mixture bowl and finally the Panko bowl. Once you have your assembly line ready its time to get rolling...errr....dipping. 

Dredge your chicken in the flour:

Dip it in the lemon mixture (ya, aint that perty):

Then thoroughly coat that sucker with Panko, patting it down and adding more as needed: 

Fry the chicken in your hot oil until they're dark golden brown, and thoroughly cooked, turning once. If you find that the chicken is getting too brown and not cooked inside, you can stick it in a hot oven for a few minutes.

Serve over your favorite rice. Garnish with a lemon slice for drizzling.