Cheat’s Lemon Chicken with Tenderstem Broccoli with Peanut Gochujang Dressing

Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad are in the house with this wonderful recipe for Cheat's Lemon Chicken with Tenderstem Broccoli with Peanut Gochujang Dressing which is straight from their test kitchen! Lemon and chicken is such a great combination and this recipe uses a Chinese technique to tenderise the chicken before you cook it.

Ingredients

Cheat's Lemon Chicken
  • 2 medium egg whites
  • (60g) (save the yolks for another use)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 90ml sunflower oil
  • 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced at an angle (15g)
  • 5g fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper
Cheat's Preserved Lemon
  • 1 large unwaxed lemon (150g), ends trimmed and discarded, then cut into ½cm-thick rounds, pips removed (120g)
  • 60ml lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
  • 2 tsp flaked sea salt
Lemon Sauce
  • 3 tbsp preserved lemon (see above)
  • 700ml chicken stock
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • ⅓ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed with a pestle and mortar
  • 1½ tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
Tenderstem Broccoli with Peanut Gochujang Dressing
  • 600g tenderstem broccoli, washed well
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • salt
Brown Sugar Peanuts
  • 1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 50g blanched unsalted peanuts
Peanut Gochujang Dressing
  • 100g smooth all-natural peanut butter
  • 2 tsp gochujang
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp light soft brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 2 large makrut lime leaves, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
  • 10g chives, sliced into 1½cm lengths

Method

Cheat’s Lemon Chicken

  1. Make the cheat’s preserved lemon by first putting all the ingredients into a small saucepan, for which you have a lid, on a medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low. cover with the lid and cook for 12-14 minutes, or until the rinds start to look translucent and the juice has reduced by about half. Set aside to cool slightly, then transfer everything to the small bowl of a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth, spreadable paste (similar to lemon curd – add extra water if needed). You’ll make more than you need.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the egg whites, soy sauce, cornflour, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper just until there aren’t any lumps, about 30 seconds. Working with one breast at a time, place the chicken between two pieces of baking parchment and use a meat mallet (or the bottom of a pan) to pound the chicken evenly so it’s just 1cm thick. Transfer to the egg-white bowl and continue with the remaining chicken breasts. Stir everything together gently to coat, then marinate for at least half an hour (or refrigerate overnight if you’re getting ahead).
  3. Make the sauce by first putting 3 tablespoons of the cheat’s preserved lemon, the stock, butter, garlic, sugar, turmeric and half the cumin into a medium saucepan and placing it on a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until reduced by about a third. Measure out roughly 3 tablespoons of the sauce into a small bowl, add the cornflour and whisk until there are no lumps. Whisk this back into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute on medium-high, whisking continuously, until smooth and thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.
  4. Heat the sunflower oil in a large high-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry two of the marinated chicken breasts for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and continue with the remaining two breasts (be careful as the oil might spit; turn down the heat if needed). Pour off the oil into a bowl (reserving for another use). Add the lemon sauce to the frying pan and bring to a simmer on a medium-high heat. Put back the chicken breasts and cook for just 3 minutes, gently turning them halfway through. Remove from the heat and stir through the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the sauce.
  5. Transfer the chicken breasts to a large serving platter with a lip (cutting them into strips, if you like) and pour the sauce all over. Sprinkle with the remaining cumin. In a small bowl, toss together the spring onion, coriander and lemon juice and spoon this all over.

Tenderstem Broccoli With Peanut Gochujang Dressing

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Line a small baking tray with parchment and set aside.
  • Make the peanuts. Put the sugar, soy sauce, oil and 1 teaspoon of water into a small saucepan and place it on a medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then add the peanuts and cook for 60-90 seconds, stirring all the while, until well coated in the glaze. Transfer to the prepared tray and bake for 9 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool and crisp up, about 15 minutes, then give them a very rough chop. Set aside for later.
  • Meanwhile, prepare a steamer on a medium-high heat. When ready, add the broccoli and steam for 3 minutes, or until cooked through but with a slight bite (cook for more or less time to your liking). Alternatively, blanch the broccoli in simmering water for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked broccoli to a large bowl and add the oil, lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine.
  • While the broccoli is cooking, make the peanut gochujang dressing. Put the peanut butter gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, ginger, garlic, lime leaves, chives and 3 tablespoons of water into a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
  • Arrange half the broccoli on a large serving plate and drizzle with half the dressing and half the peanuts. Top with the remaining broccoli, dressing and peanuts, and serve.

Ingredients

Cheat's Lemon Chicken
  • 2 medium egg whites
  • (60g) (save the yolks for another use)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 90ml sunflower oil
  • 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced at an angle (15g)
  • 5g fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper
Cheat's Preserved Lemon
  • 1 large unwaxed lemon (150g), ends trimmed and discarded, then cut into ½cm-thick rounds, pips removed (120g)
  • 60ml lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
  • 2 tsp flaked sea salt
Lemon Sauce
  • 3 tbsp preserved lemon (see above)
  • 700ml chicken stock
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • ⅓ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and roughly crushed with a pestle and mortar
  • 1½ tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
Tenderstem Broccoli with Peanut Gochujang Dressing
  • 600g tenderstem broccoli, washed well
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • salt
Brown Sugar Peanuts
  • 1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 50g blanched unsalted peanuts
Peanut Gochujang Dressing
  • 100g smooth all-natural peanut butter
  • 2 tsp gochujang
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp light soft brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 2 large makrut lime leaves, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
  • 10g chives, sliced into 1½cm lengths

Method

Cheat’s Lemon Chicken

  1. Make the cheat’s preserved lemon by first putting all the ingredients into a small saucepan, for which you have a lid, on a medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low. cover with the lid and cook for 12-14 minutes, or until the rinds start to look translucent and the juice has reduced by about half. Set aside to cool slightly, then transfer everything to the small bowl of a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth, spreadable paste (similar to lemon curd – add extra water if needed). You’ll make more than you need.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the egg whites, soy sauce, cornflour, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper just until there aren’t any lumps, about 30 seconds. Working with one breast at a time, place the chicken between two pieces of baking parchment and use a meat mallet (or the bottom of a pan) to pound the chicken evenly so it’s just 1cm thick. Transfer to the egg-white bowl and continue with the remaining chicken breasts. Stir everything together gently to coat, then marinate for at least half an hour (or refrigerate overnight if you’re getting ahead).
  3. Make the sauce by first putting 3 tablespoons of the cheat’s preserved lemon, the stock, butter, garlic, sugar, turmeric and half the cumin into a medium saucepan and placing it on a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until reduced by about a third. Measure out roughly 3 tablespoons of the sauce into a small bowl, add the cornflour and whisk until there are no lumps. Whisk this back into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute on medium-high, whisking continuously, until smooth and thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.
  4. Heat the sunflower oil in a large high-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry two of the marinated chicken breasts for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and continue with the remaining two breasts (be careful as the oil might spit; turn down the heat if needed). Pour off the oil into a bowl (reserving for another use). Add the lemon sauce to the frying pan and bring to a simmer on a medium-high heat. Put back the chicken breasts and cook for just 3 minutes, gently turning them halfway through. Remove from the heat and stir through the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for the sauce.
  5. Transfer the chicken breasts to a large serving platter with a lip (cutting them into strips, if you like) and pour the sauce all over. Sprinkle with the remaining cumin. In a small bowl, toss together the spring onion, coriander and lemon juice and spoon this all over.

Tenderstem Broccoli With Peanut Gochujang Dressing

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Line a small baking tray with parchment and set aside.
  • Make the peanuts. Put the sugar, soy sauce, oil and 1 teaspoon of water into a small saucepan and place it on a medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then add the peanuts and cook for 60-90 seconds, stirring all the while, until well coated in the glaze. Transfer to the prepared tray and bake for 9 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool and crisp up, about 15 minutes, then give them a very rough chop. Set aside for later.
  • Meanwhile, prepare a steamer on a medium-high heat. When ready, add the broccoli and steam for 3 minutes, or until cooked through but with a slight bite (cook for more or less time to your liking). Alternatively, blanch the broccoli in simmering water for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked broccoli to a large bowl and add the oil, lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine.
  • While the broccoli is cooking, make the peanut gochujang dressing. Put the peanut butter gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, ginger, garlic, lime leaves, chives and 3 tablespoons of water into a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
  • Arrange half the broccoli on a large serving plate and drizzle with half the dressing and half the peanuts. Top with the remaining broccoli, dressing and peanuts, and serve.