Crispy Lemon Chicken - for the hungry mob

Lemon and spice marinated chicken, coated in crumbs and fried - melting and delicious

Crispy Lemon Chicken

Chicken Drumsticks – everyone’s favourite finger food. Chicken has a mild flavour, so it’s perfect for adding spices, tangy tastes and other extras. Marinate overnight for the best effect, and spike holes into the chicken pieces with a knife to let the lemon and spices permeate through the meat.

The drumsticks are simmered in the marinade for tenderness and flavour, and then cooled, coated and quickly fried. So, you can make these well in advance and fry at the last minute for that crispy coating, knowing they are already cooked through. Easy to get on the table with some oven cooked home-made chips.  If you serve a big basket of these, provide plenty of napkins for your guests to wipe the lovely juices from their faces!

Serves 6               Timings:               20 minutes, then marinade overnight. 1 hour cooking on the stove, then about 20 minutes final cooking.

6-8 chicken legs, separated into drumsticks and thighs - leave the bone in. You could do this with just drumsticks if you want, and they would be easier to eat with your fingers if you’re planning an outdoor event. Either way, allow 2-3 pieces per person.

Marinade:

• Juice of 4 lemons
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 150ml plain yoghurt
• 1 fresh chilli chopped finely
• 4 cloves of garlic squashed with salt
• 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
• 2cm piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped fine (wear gloves if you don’t want yellow fingers)
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 4 cloves, 1 x 2cm piece of cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
• Powdered spices: 1 teaspoon chilli, 2 teaspoons coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon celery salt
  

• 50g butter
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• Breadcrumbs for coating.
  
• Vegetable oil for frying.

 
Mix the marinade ingredients together and grind some black pepper over the bowl. Spike the chicken pieces with a sharp knife, add to the bowl, mix well and leave covered overnight to marinate in the fridge.

Melt the butter in a large heavy pan (I use my large Le Creuset dish as it keeps the heat and it’s nice and steady) and gently fry the chicken pieces for a couple of minutes. Tip the rest of the marinade into the pan and simmer for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Leave to cool. At this stage you can leave the chicken in the fridge for 1 day.

Remove the chicken from the remaining marinade (which is an amazing spicy lemon flavour you can use as the base for a simple lentil soup, for instance).

Have two bowls ready, one with the beaten eggs and the other with breadcrumbs. Roll the chicken pieces first in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs.

Place on a wire rack to set the coating for a few minutes.

Put 1cm of oil in a deep frying pan - doesn’t have to be a deep fryer but you can use one if you have one - and heat up to medium hot. Carefully fry the chicken pieces a few at a time, turning frequently to brown them evenly. They don’t need much time in the oil as they are already cooked and you are just crisping the coating.

Remove from the oil when they are browned on all sides and keep warm while you finish the batch.
Serve with simple oven chips or a potato salad.