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Chicken tenders are battered and fried until soft and juicy and tossed in a sticky sweet and sour sauce in this Chinese Lemon Chicken recipe. Move over take-out, because you’re going to fall in love with how easy it is to replicate this restaurant classic.
All you’ll need is some classic pantry staples and under 30 minutes to make this delicious weeknight dinner-worthy dish. If you’ve tried my Sweet and Sour Pork or Kung Pao Chicken, you will love this easy recipe which has similar Asian flavors!
Why this Recipe Works
Bursting with lemony flavors, this dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you’re craving for some Asian food. It’s a low-effort and foolproof recipe that you can customize and tweak to your liking!
What’s more, you don’t even need any fancy ingredients or cooking techniques to get it right.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Chicken: I love using boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins here. You can use chicken breasts or thighs too, if that’s what you have at hand. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Egg: To keep the chicken nice and moist, and to help the cornstarch coat the chicken.
- Sauces: Shaoxing wine aka Chinese cooking wine, and some soy sauce. You can use white vinegar if you don’t have Shaoxing wine.
- Lemon sauce: Fresh ginger and garlic, soy sauce, some honey and sugar for a bit of sweetness, salt and some chicken broth.
- Cornstarch: To coat the chicken and to thicken the lemon sauce. Use potato starch if you can’t find this.
- Lemon: For that classic tangy flavor, and some lemon slices to garnish.
- Garnish: Chopped green onions and some sesame seeds.
Note: please see recipe card at the bottom for list of full ingredients and measurements
How To Make Chinese Lemon Chicken
Serve this Chinese lemon chicken immediately, as it can start to lose its crispiness after you toss it in the lemon sauce. Team it up with some classic steamed rice or Fried Rice and a veggie side like Buttery Garlic Green Beans or some Cauliflower Fried Rice or Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice if you want to keep it low carb. I also love serving it with some noodles, and if I have a few extra minutes, I make my Chicken Chow Mein (minus the chicken) to go with it.
- Marinate chicken: Combine the egg, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken into it and give it a quick mix. Let this marinate for a few minutes.
- Coat chicken: Spread cornstarch on a baking sheet and transfer the marinated chicken onto it. Gently coat the chicken in the cornstarch, lightly pressing it with your hands.
- Fry chicken: Heat oil in a wok and add the coated chicken in, shaking off the excess cornstarch. Cook on high heat in batches for about 5-6 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess moisture.
- Make lemon sauce: Discard the oil in the wok and return it to heat. Add a bit of oil and saute the ginger and garlic for a minute or until aromatic. Next, add the chicken Stock or broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, sugar and some salt. Bring this to a simmer.
- Add chicken: Prepare a simple mix of cornstarch and water and add it to the sauce, whisking continuously. Once it thickens, add the chicken and give it a quick mix.
- Finish up: Take it off heat, transfer the chicken to a serving dish and top with sesame seeds, chopped green onions and lemon slices.
Serve this Chinese lemon chicken immediately, as it can start to lose its crispiness after you toss it in the lemon sauce. Team it up with some classic steamed rice or Fried Rice and a veggie side like Buttery Garlic Green Beans or some Cauliflower Fried Rice or Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice if you want to keep it low carb. I also love serving it with some noodles, and if I have a few extra minutes, I make my Chicken Chow Mein (minus the chicken) to go with it.
Recipe FAQ’s
Bottled lemon juice can work in a pinch, but if possible, rely on fresh, ripe lemons for that perfect bright and citrusy deliciousness.
You can! Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket and pop it in. Air fry this for about 12 minutes at 400 degrees or until crispy and golden brown. Make the lemon sauce in a pan and toss the air-fried chicken into it!
Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid microwaving if you want to preserve any crispiness.
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Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 21 oz chicken tenderloins cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese shaoxing wine or white vinegar
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
LEMON SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger ginger or finely grated
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice of one lemon, about 3-4 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds to garnish
- 1 tablespoon green onions thinly sliced to garnish
- 5 lemon slices to serve – optional
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- In a large shallow bowl whisk egg, soy sauce and wine. Add in chicken, mix well and allow to marinate for 20 minutes, covered.
- Place corn starch into a large baking tray. Pour chicken and marinade into the corn starch and coat chicken pieces evenly, lightly pressing the corn starch around the chicken.
- Heat oil in a large wok, pan or skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (325°F or 165°C), shake off excess corn starch and fry chicken in batches in a single layer for about 5-6 minutes, turning half way during cooking, until golden and cooked through.
- Drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Discard oil and wipe wok/pan over with paper towel.
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add stock, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt. Whisk, bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk corn starch mixture into the simmering sauce and stir until thickened. Toss chicken in the sauce until evenly coated (about 2 minutes).
- Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and lemon slices. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I think I will add broccoli florets to the lemon chicken….I sometimes like my steamed broccoli dressed with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt, so I’m sure it will go well with this dish, either added on the side or stirred in the pan with the chicken!
It was really good! I doubled the sauce because we like it saucy. I loved the flavor of the sauce but after I added the chicken the lemon flavor was leas pronounced. I think I’ll do 8 or 9 tablespoons of lemon next time instead of 7.
Awesome recipe, has quickly become a household favourite. And yes way better than the take-away versions. I simply omit the ginger, and add finely sliced carrot, a pepper or celery plus an onion cut into small wedges!
Love it. Kids loved it. Very easy reciepe. Tasty kids also loved it. Had with rice and steamed broccoli
Simple tasty recipe. For all the fellow corn allergy people, I substituted brown rice flour for the cornstarch coating the chicken and substituted tapioca starch for the cornstarch in the lemon sauce. The texture of both turned out right. Delicious!
Delicious! I love the tang from the lemon juice. Will be making it again.
Gotta/gonna give this a try! Looks delicious and adds something new to my dinner rotation.
Can I make this the night before ? Just reheat the sauce and mix the chicken the day day?
I cook once in a blue moon and this was probably at the limit of my capabilities (cooking the chicken in the middle but not burning the outside). That said, it was fun to do and delicious to eat. Unfortunately, as a result, my wife may expect me to cook more often.
Amazing recipe! Without the sauce, the chicken still taste fantastic. Beats KFC by leaps & bounds!