Chinese Takeout Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded thin
• 0.5 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.5 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Steps

1. Mix flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cloves together in a flat dish.
2. Beat eggs and lemon zest together in another flat dish. Add panko bread crumbs to a third shallow dish.
3. Dip each chicken breast into the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture and the panko mixture to coat thoroughly.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Pan-fry chicken in batches until browned and no longer pink in the center, turning as needed, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
5. While the chicken is cooking, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let it start to warm.
6. Whisk lemon juice and cornstarch together in a bowl. Add to the heated syrup and whisk to combine. Slowly turn up the heat until sauce boils and thickens.
7. Pour the desired amount of sauce over each chicken breast and serve.