Description
Chinese Lemon Chicken is a flavorful and crispy fried chicken dish coated in a tangy and sweet lemon sauce. This easy-to-make recipe features bite-sized chicken pieces fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a luscious lemon-infused sauce with garlic, ginger, and honey. Perfect as a main course served with rice or vegetables, it’s a favorite takeout-style dish you can prepare at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sauce)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ cup chicken broth
- â…“ cup fresh lemon juice
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Garnish (optional)
- Lemon zest
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Coating: In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to create the dry coating mixture.
- Coat the Chicken: Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten eggs, ensuring it is fully coated. Then dredge the chicken pieces in the cornstarch-flour mixture, pressing lightly to adhere the coating well.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the chicken in batches for about 4–5 minutes per batch until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the Sauce: In a clean pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic and grated ginger for approximately 30 seconds or until fragrant but not browned.
- Add Liquids and Sweeteners: Pour in the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, granulated sugar, honey, and soy sauce. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Thicken the Sauce: Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce while stirring continuously. Continue to simmer the sauce for 1–2 minutes until it thickens to a glossy consistency.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces into the sauce and toss gently to coat each piece evenly with the lemon sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with lemon zest and sliced green onions if desired. Serve the Chinese Lemon Chicken hot alongside steamed rice or your favorite vegetables.
Notes
- For extra crispy chicken, consider double-frying the pieces by frying them once, letting them rest, then frying again briefly before adding to the sauce.
- Adjust the sweetness or tartness of the lemon sauce by varying the amount of sugar or lemon juice according to your taste preferences.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute tamari for soy sauce and use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
