Calamansi Chicken

Calamansi Chicken combines crispy, golden fried chicken with a fresh, tangy, and sweet calamansi sauce. It showcases the bold flavor of the native Filipino citrus!

Watch the Calamansi Chicken Recipe Video Below!

It’s so good to be writing on the blog again -I’ve been working on a really exciting project that I can’t reveal quite yet, but let’s just say it requires a lot of recipe testing and development!

Anyways, this recipe was my version to showcase the freshness and bold flavor of the calamansi, one of my favorite citruses.

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to purchase fresh calamansi in my local Asian supermarket year-round so of course I needed to take advantage of that opportunity.

What is Calamansi?

Calamansi is a native Philippine citrus used in various kinds of Filipino dishes, from marinades, dipping sauces, to drinks.

Taste-wise, they have a similar sourness between a lime and lemon, but also a hint of sweetness similar to a tangerine.

You can find calamansi in some Asian supermarkets -they’re small and green, typically sold fresh in small packets or frozen.

They can also come by the name of Philippine lime/lemon, lemonsito, or calamondin.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken thighs: Dark meat is your best friend for ultra juicy and tender fried chicken. For faster cooking, remove the thigh bone or ask your butcher to do it for you.

• Substitutes: You may use chicken breast, though I’d suggest either pounding them flat or chopping into bite-sized pieces. You may also use chicken wings. For my vegetarian/vegan friends, oyster mushrooms or tofu are great options as well.

Starch: Potato or cornstarch will give the chicken a light, airy, and crisp coating. This is a popular breading ingredient in many Asian chicken recipes.

• Substitute: Flour is the next best substitute without altering the taste too much. The coating might just be a tad thicker and heavier.

Soy sauce: This will provide the needed umami and saltiness for our chicken.

• Substitute: You can use standard replacements such as tamari or coconut aminos. You may also omit the soy sauce entirely and just use salt to taste.

Egg White: The egg white contains less fat than the yolk, giving the breading a more crisp and light exterior. You can repurpose the yolk for another recipe, or if trying to reduce waste, just use the whole egg. The only difference is that the breading may be more “tender” and cakey as opposed to being light and airy.

Garlic, ginger: Go for fresh garlic and ginger for best results. This will give the sauce a greater depth of aromatic flavor.

• Substitute: You may use dried or powdered garlic and ginger as quick replacements.

Calamansi: As stated above, calamansi is a Philippine lemon with a flavor similar to a cross between limes, lemons, and tangerines. You can find them fresh or frozen in some Asian groceries. They look like green, tiny limes -sometimes under the name of Philippine lime/lemon, lemonsito, or calamondin.

• Substitutes: If you can’t find calamansi in your area, I’ve found that combining lemon and lime juice together, with just a small splash of orange juice can actually help emulate a similar flavor profile to calamansi. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s a unique flavor apart from simply just using lemon or lime juice.

Sugar: This will help offset the sourness of the calamansi. I used white sugar to keep the sauce light. You can season the sugar to taste according to your preference.

• Substitutes: You may also use brown sugar, the sauce may just taste more deeper and caramel in taste. Honey is also a good replacement.

Instructions

Prepare the Fried Chicken:

In a large bowl, create the batter by combining together the potato starch, all-purpose flour, soy sauce, egg white, black pepper, and cold water.

Mix well until you achieve a thick, paint-like batter consistency. Add more cold water to the mix if the batter is too thick.

Once combined, add in the chicken thighs. Coat the chicken well with the batter.

Fry the battered chicken in batches for about 12 minutes, or until fully-cooked through and outside is golden and crispy.

Set aside to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the Calamansi Sauce.

Prepare the Calamansi Sauce:

Combine together the water, calamansi juice, sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, and salt.

In a sauce pot, bring the mixture to a boil, then let simmer over medium low for one minute to dissolve the sugar.

Pour in the cornstarch slurry, stirring vigorously, to thicken the sauce. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.

Taste the sauce, add more calamansi juice, sugar, and/or salt to taste if needed. Set aside for plating.

Serving:

To serve, chop the fried chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Pour the calamansi sauce over the chicken. Top with julienned green onions.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Properly fry your chicken: The star of this dish is the fried chicken. Here are a few tips to get that perfect crisp!

• Maintain the standard frying temperature: In general, your oil should be hovering at around 330-340 F. You may also choose to double-fry the chicken (a popular technique used in the crispiest Korean fried chicken) by briefly frying the chicken for a second time at a higher temperature of 375 F until golden brown.
• Fry the chicken in batches: Avoid overcrowding your pan. This is one of the main culprits that causes the temperature of the oil to drop too fast, leading to soggy and undercooked chicken. Fry your chicken two to three pieces at a time for best results.
• Cool on a wire rack: Letting the chicken cool on a wire rack lets the oil drain adequately and maintains air circulation below the chicken. Using the popular paper-towel method soaks the underside of the chicken with the oil, making it soggy.

Adjust the sauce as necessary: Feel free to add additional calamansi juice to the sauce if you’d prefer it more tangy. You can also adjust the sugar to preference according to how sweet you’d like it to be. Chili flakes may also be a great option to add a bit of kick.

Serve immediately: This recipe is delicious when enjoyed immediately. Let it sit too long, however, and the skin begins to absorb the calamansi sauce which can cause it to go soggy.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers should stay good for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container. To reheat, simply microwave or heat in an oven at around 350 F until the chicken is fully warmed-through.

While best served fresh, I’d recommend storing the chicken and calamansi sauce separate as to avoid the crispy chicken skin from going soft.

Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?

Yes! Simply replace the chicken with tofu or large mushrooms (such as oyster mushrooms). Cover these with the batter and proceed with the recipe as normal.

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