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Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and covered in a zesty, savory glaze, this Chinese lemon chicken is sure to become a new dinnertime favorite. It’s a better-than-takeout meal the whole family will go crazy over!
For more better-than-takeout dishes, try this bang bang chicken, slow cooker General Tso’s chicken, or crispy walnut shrimp!
Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe
Everyone loves orange chicken, but it’s time for lemon to step into the spotlight! This Chinese lemon chicken recipe starts with crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside chicken pieces. Once they’re fried to perfection, everything gets coated in the most mouthwatering sauce ever. It’s the best mix of savory and sweet, with a thick, glossy consistency that coats each piece wonderfully.
The sauce has a soy sauce base for that classic savory, Chinese takeout flavor, but then it’s combined with lemon zest, lemon juice, white vinegar, and garlic. The result? Pure heaven! Chinese lemon chicken has just enough bright, zesty flavor to keep it from being too heavy, but is so savory and delicious you won’t be able to resist going back for seconds. For more delicious recipes inspired by Chinese cuisine, try this dynamite shrimp or some crispy crab rangoon to complete your meal!
Chicken and Sauce Ingredients
Chinese lemon chicken takes simple ingredients and transforms them into a crispy and tangy masterpiece. From tender chicken pieces coated in a golden crust to a zesty sauce that bursts with citrusy goodness, each element plays a crucial role in making this dish delectable. (Exact measurements are in the recipe card!)
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Cut into 1-inch pieces, these provide the main protein for the dish.
- Salt and Pepper: Used to season the chicken pieces, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Cornstarch: Coats the chicken, creating a crispy and golden exterior when fried.
- Eggs: Beaten eggs act as a binding agent, helping the cornstarch adhere to the chicken.
- Canola Oil: Used for frying, it gives the Chinese lemon chicken a nice, crispy texture.
For the Lemon Sauce:
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tanginess of the lemon juice and vinegar.
- Lemon Juice: Provides a zesty and refreshing citrus flavor to the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: For that classic, savory Asian flavor!
- White Vinegar: Complements the lemon juice and adds tanginess. You can also use rice vinegar for a more authentic flavor.
- Garlic Salt: Infuses a hint of garlic flavor and enhances the overall seasoning.
- Lemon Zest: For a little more concentrated lemon.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the Chinese lemon chicken sauce, creating a glossy texture.
How to Make Chinese Lemon Chicken
Perfect for busy families, Chinese lemon chicken only takes 1 hour from start to finish! Making it from scratch is definitely the way to go. It’s fresher, tastes better, and is free from additives and artificial flavors.
- Preheat Oven, Cut Chicken: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Coat With Batter: Add the cornstarch to one bowl, and the slightly beaten eggs to another bowl. Then dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch then coat it in the egg mixture.
- Heat Oil, Fry: Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned.
- Add to Baking Dish: Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
- Mix Sauce Ingredients: Mix the sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, white vinegar, soy sauce, garlic salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Pour Over Chicken and Bake: Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 1 hour.
- Toss: Stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce.
- Serve: Serve over rice and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
These helpful tips will make sure you achieve restaurant-quality Chinese lemon chicken every time! This is a recipe that your family won’t be able to get enough of.
- Cut Consistently: When cutting the chicken into 1-inch pieces, aim for uniform sizes. This way, they’ll cook at the same rate.
- Season From the Inside Out: Use salt and pepper to season the chicken pieces before coating them. This enhances the flavor profile from the very first bite.
- Double Coating: After dipping the chicken in beaten eggs, coat them generously with cornstarch. This double-coating method creates a crunchier and more substantial crispy layer.
- Oil Temperature: Heat the canola oil to the right temperature before frying (around 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius). This prevents the chicken from becoming greasy and helps achieve that perfect crispiness.
- Drain Excess Oil: After frying, let the Chinese lemon chicken rest on paper towels to remove any excess oil and maintain its crunchiness. No soggy chicken here!
Storing Leftovers
Chinese lemon chicken is at its tastiest when it’s just made, all crispy and delicious. But if you’ve got some leftovers, you can pop them into an airtight container in the fridge. They should stay good for around 2-3 days. Just remember, the crispy part might not be as crispy after a while because of the sauce.
To reheat, add your chicken to a baking sheet and warm for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also warm your chicken in a skillet! These are both great ways to keep that delicious crispy coating. Microwaving can make your chicken soggy.
Make it a Meal!
Complete your meal with a few additional sides. These are so delicious and homemade is always better than takeout!
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Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ cups cornstarch
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Lemon Sauce
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cornstarch to one bowl, and the slightly beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch then coat it in the egg mixture.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned.
- Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.
- Mix the sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, white vinegar, soy sauce, garlic salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 1 hour.
- Stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh gosh delicious and nothing easier. Thank you for the wonderful food.
This chicken came out delicious. SO GOOD !! I didn’t put it in the oven. Just left it covered in the skillet on a very low flame. It came out beautiful and so tasty.
I’m a little confused. In the blog you say to double dip the chicken – is it correct to say cornstarch/ egg/ cornstarch? In the recipe you only say to coat it in the cornstarch then the egg – eliminating the second cornstarch dip. Which one is correct?
Just cornstarch then the egg mixture!
Thank you!
You’re using the oven to reduce the sauce…. why don’t you just reduce the sauce in a pan for 10 minutes to save time and energy? I mean, the oven will impart some roasted flavor, but does it affect the final dish enough for the wasted time and energy to keep the oven running for an hour? Also, doesn’t it make the fried chicken pieces soggy? I’m legit asking if you tested both ways to compare because I’m curious.
Simmering the chicken and sauce in a skillet works just as well!
Have you had any type of Chinese food? Sesame chicken? Orange chicken? Sweet and sour chicken? It’s the same thing. The chicken isn’t crispy because of the sauce. It’s just breaded deliciousness.
I simmered chicken and sauce in a skillet for about 45min.
Very good but next time I’ll cut the time by ten minutes. Even hubby liked it!
Isn’t an hour too long in the oven? Being bite sized pieces that are already fried, the chicken will be overcooked that long in the oven.
These are the correct times. You need to stir the chicken every 15 minutes while it’s cooking so it doesn’t get burned.
Tried this recipe tonight and thought I’d share. I will make it again, and it will be better with some improvements.
First off, have y’all ever browned a roast before? It’s the same concept. She isn’t telling you to fry the chicken completely, she told you to brown it. That means get your oil super hot, brown just a bit on each side, not completely fried, then set it on rack. Tip…if your oil is deep enough, you don’t have to flip.
I personally have never used corn starch to fry, and unsure if I will again. I dipped chicken in egg first (because that’s just how you fry things) but I can’t afford using that much corn starch. I liked the result, but will try flour next time.
The flavor of this dish is on point. I added some paprika to the chicken along with salt and pepper.
I doubled the sauce, for 4 chicken breasts (had to thaw them out in microwave and then cut) It had a strong lemon flavor, which I like, but added even more sugar for the kids. Next time, I might cut the sugar with orange juice or use honey as sugar substitute.
I did not use the oven. I browned the chicken in batches, literally like 1 min per side if your oil is hot enough. Set them on a baking rack over paper towels. When they were all done, I dumped the grease, wiped pan with a paper towel and put chicken back it. Poured the sauce on, quickly brought it to boiling, then simmered until everything else was done. The cornstarch has to boil thicken. Do not stir too much or the coating on the chicken will fall off. I topped it off with sesame seeds for kids. Served with steamed rice and broccoli.
Delicious and a great recipe when you want Chinese take out but don’t want to spend the money. Thank you!!
I am looking forward to trying your recipes
This says it takes an hour from start to finish, but you aren’t accounting for the fact that the chicken doesn’t need to stay in the oven for an hour..
Hello! This chicken takes about 15 minutes to prep and then 1 hour to cook!