Description
A crispy, golden delight tossed in a glossy, sweet-tart lemon glaze — Chinese Lemon Chicken is a restaurant-style favorite you can easily recreate at home. With its bright citrus flavor and irresistible crunch, this dish delivers the perfect balance of texture and taste. Ideal for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining, it’s a recipe that’s sure to impress and satisfy.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the Lemon Sauce:
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
For Garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh parsley or green onions, chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Let sit for 10–15 minutes.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350°F (175°C).
- Beat eggs in one bowl and mix flour and cornstarch in another.
- Dip chicken into egg, then dredge in flour mixture. Set aside.
- Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy (4–5 minutes). Drain on paper towels.
- In a saucepan, mix lemon juice, zest, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, and ginger.
- Bring to simmer, stir in cornstarch slurry, and cook until sauce thickens.
- Toss fried chicken with the hot lemon sauce to coat evenly.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped herbs. Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes