In our early 20s, Mr M and I ditched pre-made jars of sauce from the house. We’d never enjoyed them that much, they just seemed easy at the time. While there are many, many reasons to make your own sauces (the main ones being homemade is nicer and NOT FULL OF EVIL RUBBISH) that is not what this post is about…
There is though, I admit, one jar of gloop that I miss; a lemon pepper sauce, that when fried with chicken and veg created sticky and sharp, peppery deliciousness… I’ve been trying to recreate it recently, and because they don’t make this sauce any more I’ve had to use my brain for ingredient ideas. Well, my brain and the internet.
I thought of using lemon pepper seasoning, so looked up recipes based around that, but they didn’t seem quite right, and besides, it was out of stock at the supermarket. So I went back to basics. Lemon and pepper; it’s not that hard, is it?! But it’s not enough on its own either…
So, I tinkered with various ingredients, getting all Willy Wonka about it in my kitchen, (if only there was an umpa lumpa to clean up…), and eventually I got something that is pretty close to the sticky dream I’ve been after. Please look:
Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
2 free range chicken breasts
Juice from 1½ lemons
1tbsp of freshly milled (or pestle and mortared) black pepper
1tbsp honey
1/2tbsp wholegrain mustard (I used a garlic variety from Elmsley’s Farmshop – the more garlic the better, OBV)
3 garlic cloves, crushed, with skins removed
Salt
Olive oil
1 onion (or 2 if, like me, you like an equal ratio of onion to chicken)
- Add the lemon juice, black pepper honey, mustard and garlic to a bowl and mix.
- Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl. Leave to marinade for 30 mins.
- Add a glug of olive oil to a frying pan on a high heat. When at temperature, add the chicken and juices, along with the sliced onion. Don’t stir it too soon – leave it to cook and get all caramelised and sticky. Mind you, there is a fine line between caramelised and BURNT, so I have discovered…
- When cooked through, remove and serve.
I like it served with salad and a crusty baguette, but you could add other veg and serve it with rice, or have it in a wrap with spinach… whatever you like really!