For the Chicken:

4 x 125 g Chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless (or 2 chicken breasts, halved)

½ tsp Salt

¼ cup Cornflour (cornstarch)

1–1½ litres (4–6 cups) Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 4 cm depth)

Stay-Crisp Fry Batter:

⅓ cup Cornflour (cornstarch)

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp Plain flour (all-purpose)

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Baking powder

½ cup Cold soda water (or ice-cold water)

Lemon Sauce:

6 tsp Cornflour (cornstarch)

½ cup Chicken stock (low sodium)

½ cup Fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup White sugar

½ tsp Finely grated garlic

½ tsp Finely grated ginger

1 tbsp Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (optional, for extra tang)

To Serve (optional):

Lemon slices

Sliced green onions

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Prepare the Chicken: Pound the chicken fillets to about 0.7 cm thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt, then dust lightly with cornflour and set aside.
Make the Batter: Whisk cornflour, flour, salt, and baking powder together. Chill the bowl in the fridge until ready to use. Just before frying, add cold soda water and whisk until just combined (some lumps are fine).
First Fry: Heat oil in a deep pan to 160°C (320°F). Dip chicken pieces into batter, allow excess to drip off, then fry for 3 minutes until pale golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat for all pieces and let rest for 20 minutes.
Make the Lemon Sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk cornflour with a little chicken stock until smooth. Add remaining stock, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, ginger, and vinegar. Simmer for 3 minutes until thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Second Fry: Increase oil to 200°C (390°F). Fry chicken again for about 3 minutes or until deep golden and extra crispy. Drain well.
Serve: Slice chicken into strips, drizzle with the lemon sauce, and garnish with green onions and lemon slices. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

For extra crispiness, keep the batter cold and the oil hot during frying.

Use ice-cold water if soda water isn’t available.

Let chicken cool briefly between fries for the crispiest texture.

For a spicier version, add red chili flakes to the sauce.

Serve sauce on the side if you prefer to keep the coating extra crunchy.