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5 from 27 votes

Chinese Lemon Chicken

Easy Chinese Lemon Chicken with a sticky honey, lemon and garlic sauce. Better than takeout in less than 30 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Chicken, Chinese, Lemon
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 549kcal
Author: Karina

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

  • 21 oz (600 g) 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 minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced or finely grated ginger
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds to garnish
  • thinly sliced green onions to garnish
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 201mg | Sodium: 964mg | Potassium: 674mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.7mg