Description
Chinese Lemon Chicken is a classic takeout favorite featuring crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and tangy lemon sauce. This homemade version is easy to make and tastes even better than the restaurant dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
- sliced green onions for garnish
For the lemon sauce:
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces in beaten egg, then coat in flour mixture.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet, fry chicken until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
- Make the Lemon Sauce: Simmer chicken broth, lemon juice, sugar, soy sauce, and zest. Thicken with cornstarch slurry.
- Coat the Chicken: Toss fried chicken in lemon sauce until coated.
- Serve: Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve hot.
Notes
- Serve over steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables.
- For a lighter option, bake or air-fry the chicken before tossing in the lemon sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
