Description
This Chinese Lemon Chicken recipe brings together crispy fried chicken bites coated in a sweet and tangy lemon sauce. It’s a delicious takeout-inspired dish that you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken:
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the lemon sauce:
- â…“ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (slurry)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Coat the chicken: In a medium bowl, toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch until fully coated. Dip each piece into the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off.
- Fry the chicken: Heat about ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 3–4 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make the lemon sauce: In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, water, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook until thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
- Finish the dish: Toss the crispy chicken in the lemon sauce or drizzle the sauce over before serving. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Serve with steamed rice and broccoli for a complete meal.
- For a lighter version, consider baking or air frying the chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
