Chinese Lemon Chicken
Easy Chinese Lemon Chicken with a sticky honey, lemon and garlic sauce. Better than takeout in less than 30 minutes!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
- 21 oz chicken tenderloins cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small egg
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons Chinese shaoxing wine or mirin
- 3/4 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
- 1 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 1 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 on the stove top. 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. (If you want that ultra crunchy texture you get at restaurants. Fry the chicken once until pale golden (about 3 minutes), remove it, let the chicken cool for a few minutes, and then flash fry it again in hotter oil for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown.)
- 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.
Video
Notes
- The "Double Fry" Secret: If you want that ultra crunchy texture you get at restaurants, try the double-fry technique! Fry the chicken once until pale golden (about 3 minutes), remove it, let the chicken cool for a few minutes, and then flash fry it again in hotter oil for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown. It sounds extra, but the crunch is insane.
- Sauce Thickness: The lemon sauce thickens very quickly once the cornstarch slurry hits the heat. If it gets too gloopy or jelly-like before you toss the chicken, just whisk in a tablespoon of hot water or extra chicken broth to loosen it back up to a silky consistency.
- Taste Your Lemons: Not all lemons are created equal! Some are sweeter, some are super sour. Taste your sauce before adding the slurry. If it's too tart, add an extra teaspoon of honey. If it's too sweet, a splash of vinegar or more lemon juice will balance it out.
- Keep It Separate: If you are meal prepping or expecting guests later, do not toss the chicken in the sauce. Keep the fried chicken and the sauce separate and combine them in the hot wok literally 30 seconds before serving. This keeps the chicken crispy!
- Oil Temperature Check: No thermometer? No problem. Stick the end of a wooden chopstick or spoon into the oil. If bubbles form around the wood immediately, your oil is hot enough. If it smokes, it's too hot—turn it down!
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1.254mg | Potassium: 865mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg