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Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 78 reviews

Chinese Lemon Chicken is a crispy, flavorful dish featuring tender boneless chicken cubes double-coated in a seasoned flour and egg batter, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a tangy, sweet lemon sauce infused with garlic, ginger, honey, and pineapple juice. Garnished with fresh green onions and lemon slices, this dish pairs perfectly with rice or noodles for an authentic, crowd-pleasing Asian-inspired meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 1½ pounds boneless chicken, cut into small 2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Chicken Lemon Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup chicken broth or water
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ⅓ cup pineapple juice
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Juice of 2 large lemons
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Salt to taste
  • 2–3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Yellow food coloring (optional)

Garnish

  • Green onions, thinly sliced
  • Lemon slices, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Prepare Chicken: Cut the boneless chicken into small 2-inch cubes and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure the coating sticks properly during frying.
  2. Mix Dry Coating: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with salt and pepper to taste. This seasoned flour will form the outer coating of the chicken.
  3. Mix Wet Coating: In another bowl, whisk together the milk and large egg until fully blended to create the wet batter.
  4. Coat Chicken: Roll each chicken cube first in the flour mixture, then dip into the milk and egg mixture, and finally roll again in the flour mixture to ensure a double coating for maximum crispiness.
  5. Fry Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  6. Prepare Lemon Sauce: In a non-stick saucepan, heat peanut or sesame oil over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped ginger and garlic until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes.
  7. Combine Sauce Ingredients: Add soy sauce, chicken broth or water, honey, pineapple juice, brown sugar, lemon pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to the saucepan. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.
  8. Simmer Sauce: Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly to blend flavors and reduce slightly.
  9. Thicken Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with a little cold water to make a slurry, then add it to the sauce along with yellow food coloring if desired. Whisk thoroughly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  10. Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and gently toss to coat all pieces evenly with the lemon sauce.
  11. Garnish and Serve: Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and lemon slices. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.

Notes

  • Ensure chicken pieces are patted dry for the batter to adhere properly and get crispy.
  • You can substitute chicken broth with water if unavailable.
  • Yellow food coloring is optional and only affects appearance.
  • Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consumed within 2 days; reheat gently in the microwave.
  • For best flavor and texture, enjoy the dish fresh as leftovers may lose crispiness.

Keywords: Chinese lemon chicken, crispy lemon chicken, fried chicken recipe, Asian chicken, lemon sauce chicken, easy dinner, quick chicken recipe

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/chinese-lemon-chicken-recipe/