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Chinese lemon chicken features crispy juicy chicken covered in a tangy and sweet lemony sauce that is also gingery. Make this easy dish for dinner to enjoy a treat that tastes just as good as the Chinese restaurant version! {Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Chinese Lemon Chicken

5 from 4 votes
Chinese lemon chicken features crispy juicy chicken covered in a tangy and sweet lemony sauce that is also gingery. Make this easy dish for dinner to enjoy a treat that tastes just as good as the Chinese restaurant version! {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
To make the dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, or skip it.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: takeout
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 1 big lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry) (Optional)
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest zest from 1 lemon (*Footnote 1)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Marinade

  • 1 (14 oz / 400 g) large boneless skinless chicken breast , cut to 1” (2.5-cm) pieces (or 2 chicken thighs)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch

Stir-fry

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 green onions , sliced (white part for cooking and green part for garnishing)
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients in the bowl and mix well.
  • Combine chicken, oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let marinate for 15 minutes.
  • When you’re ready to cook, add the beaten egg to the chicken. Stir to mix well. Add cornstarch. Stir to coat chicken, until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet until hot, just starting to smoke. Add chicken all at once and spread into a single layer in the skillet. Separate chicken pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.
  • Cook without touching the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes (very important, so the chicken crisps up further).
  • Place the pan back on the stove and turn to medium heat. You should still have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. If there’s too much oil, pour out or use paper towels to remove the excess oil. Add green onion and ginger. Cook and stir a few times until it releases fragrance.
  • Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens.
  • Add back the chicken. Stir to coat chicken with sauce. Transfer to a plate and serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

  1. For garnish, you can use a peeler to peel a small part of the lemon rind, then thinly slice it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.4g, Protein: 23.1g, Fat: 10.7g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 701mg, Potassium: 449mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 12.7g, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg