Chinese Lemon Chicken
Chinese lemon chicken is lightly fried until golden, then baked in the sticky homemade sauce packed with bright lemon flavor. Make a full take-out-style meal at home with my easy fried rice, cream cheese wontons, and chow mein!
When Life Hands You Lemons Make This Chicken
That sticky lemon sauce: It has the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.
Better than takeout: You get tender chicken and plenty of homemade sauce in every bite.
Simple ingredients: Everything is made with easy ingredients you can find at the grocery store.
A Reader’s Review
Oh gosh delicious and nothing easier. Thank you for the wonderful food.
Ingredients for Lemon Chicken
Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer!
Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil is best! Add more if needed for frying.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best! Bottled can also work.
Lemon Zest: This is a MUST! It gives the sauce the perfect lemony flavor.
Adjust the Sweetness: For a tangier sauce, slightly reduce the sugar or add a little more lemon juice.
How to Make Chinese Lemon Chicken
This crispy chinese lemon chicken recipe takes a little extra time, but browning the chicken first gives it a delicious coating, while baking it in the sauce makes every piece sweet, sticky, and flavorful. If you like this recipe, I know you’ll love my orange or honey chicken!
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and black pepper. Add cornstarch to one bowl and beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch, then coat it in the egg mixture.
Cook Chicken: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish.
Make Sauce: Mix sugar, lemon juice, soy sauce, white vinegar, lemon zest, garlic salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl.
Pour and Bake: Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 45 minutes. Stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce. Garnish Chinese lemon chicken with green onion and lemon wedges over rice, then enjoy!
Alyssa’s Pro Crispy Chicken Tips
Chicken Pieces: Cut the chicken evenly into similar sized pieces.
Cook in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Brown the Outside: The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
Stir While Baking: Toss the chicken every 15 minutes to coat it evenly in the sauce.
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
Skillet: Browns the chicken until golden.
Baking Dish: Holds the chicken and sauce while baking.
Zester: Makes zesting the lemon easier!
Spider Strainer: Lifts the chicken out of the hot oil.
Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper1½ cups cornstarch3 large beaten eggs½ cup canola oil
Lemon Sauce
⅔ cup granulated sugar½ cup lemon juice2 tablespoons soy sauce3 tablespoons white vinegar¼ teaspoon garlic salt1 tablespoon lemon zest1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Video
Notes
In the refrigerator: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Warm the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat or in a 350°F oven until heated through. The microwave will work, but the coating will be softer.
In the freezer: Freeze the cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.