Chinese Lemon Chicken

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. No more buying, 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 bittersweet pork or kung po, you will love this easy chicken recipe, which has similar Asian flavors!

What Makes This Lemon Chicken So Good

A few small details make a BIG difference with Chinese lemon chicken. From the type of chicken you use to how you coat and fry it, knowing these details makes it even easier to create that crispy restaurant-style texture with the best lemon flavor.

Bursting with lemony flavors, this dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you’re craving some Asian food. It’s a low-effort recipe that you can customize and tweak to your liking!

This chicken recipe uses simple ingredients and easy steps to make a filling dinner in just a couple of minutes!

Why Chicken Tenderloins?

I love using chicken tenderloins for this recipe because they stay juicy and tender while cooking really quickly. They also give you that soft restaurant-style texture once coated and fried. If you can’t find tenderloins, boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs work too. Just cut them into even bite-sized pieces and adjust the cooking time slightly, especially with thighs since they can take a little longer to cook through.

Fresh Vs. Bottled Lemon Juice

Fresh lemon juice gives this sauce the best flavor. It’s brighter, fresher, and balances the sweetness much better than bottled lemon juice. Since lemon is the main flavor in the sauce, using fresh lemons really makes a difference here.

Bottled lemon juice can still work if that’s what you have on hand, but the flavor may taste slightly sharper and less fresh compared to freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Ingredients for Lemon Chicken & Variations

Save this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Email *

Save

• Chicken: I love using boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins here because they stay juicy and cook quickly. Chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs also work well, just adjust the cook time slightly depending on the size of your pieces.
• Egg: Helps the cornstarch cling to the chicken while keeping the inside soft and juicy after frying.
• Shaoxing Wine & Soy Sauce: Shaoxing wine adds that classic Chinese food flavor to the sauce. If you can’t find it, dry sherry or even white vinegar can work in a pinch. Soy sauce balances the sweetness and lemon flavor.
• Lemon Sauce: Fresh garlic, ginger, lemon juice, honey, sugar, and chicken stock create the sticky sweet and sour sauce. Fresh lemon juice works best here for that bright tangy flavor.
• Cornstarch: This is what gives the chicken that light, crispy coating while also thickening the sauce. Potato starch can be used instead, but avoid regular flour or the texture won’t turn out the same.
• Garnish: Green onions and sesame seeds add freshness and a little crunch right before serving.

Note: Please see the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How To Make Chinese Lemon Chicken

To get started, whisk the egg, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine together in a bowl. If you can’t find Shaoxing wine at the store, dry sherry or even white vinegar works just fine here. Toss your chopped chicken pieces right into that mix so they are completely coated. I like to let it marinate for about 20 to 30 minutes if I have the time to really let those flavors sink in, but if you are in a rush, a quick 5 minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients is perfectly fine.

When you’re ready to cook, dump the chicken along with all that marinade directly into your cornstarch. Get your hands in there and massage the cornstarch into the meat until every single piece is completely covered.

Micro Tip: Make sure to shake off any excess cornstarch before the chicken hits the oil. This keeps the coating light and prevents the oil from getting messy.

Get your oil nice and hot in a large pan or wok. Fry the chicken in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. If you throw too much chicken in at once, the oil temperature drops and you end up with soggy, oily chicken instead of that signature crunch. Cook them until they turn a beautiful deep color and are cooked all the way through, then scoop them out and set them aside.

How To Make The Lemon Sauce

Carefully wipe out your pan with a paper towel to get rid of any stray crumbs that might burn. Heat up a splash of fresh oil and stir-fry your garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds until you can really smell it. Pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt.

As the sauce heats up, the honey will naturally start to thicken it, but you want a glossy glaze that really clings to the chicken. Stir in a quick cornstarch slurry and watch it transform into a rich sauce. Toss your crispy chicken straight back into the wok, give it a good flip to coat every piece evenly, and serve it immediately while it’s still hot and crunchy.

What To Serve With Chinese Lemon Chicken

This lemon chicken is perfect with steamed rice to soak up all of that sticky sauce. I also love it with some fried rice or a side of stir fried noodles when I want to make it feel like a full homemade Chinese dinner.

For veggies, I usually make some garlic butter green beans. If I want something lower carb, I go for cauliflower rice or this cilantro lime version.

Recipe FAQ’s