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Lemon Chicken- easy and crispy chicken with tangy, sticky and sweet lemon sauce. This Chinese lemon chicken recipe is much better than takeouts and takes 20 minutes to make.
This easy lemon chicken is crispy, tangy, and just like takeout but better. Bite-sized chicken pieces are fried golden and coated in a bright, glossy lemon sauce. Quick, simple, and made with pantry ingredients, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or anytime you crave takeout at home.
Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken
Chinese lemon chicken is one of my favorite chicken recipes, and I make it at home frequently. This is my tried and tested recipe, made just like the one you love from takeout but fresh, homemade, and better. I love drizzling my lemon sauce over the crispy fried chicken pieces. The sauce is bright, tangy, lightly sweet, and glossy, giving each bite that classic crispy Chinese lemon chicken flavor you can’t resist.
It’s simple and reliable, made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. No bottled sauces or complicated steps, just perfectly fried chicken coated in a light homemade lemon sauce. Serve it with rice or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal. If you’ve ever wished you could recreate takeout lemon chicken at home, this crispy Chinese lemon chicken recipe is exactly what you need. Don’t forget to check out my full Lemon Sauce recipe, the secret to that tangy, glossy coating every time.
For more better-than-takeout recipes, check out my Kung Pao Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork!
Secrets To Crispy Tender Chicken
Marinating the chicken with soy sauce, a little cornstarch, and optional Shaoxing wine makes it extra tender and helps the coating stick. I like using a mix of cornstarch and flour for the coating because it fries up light and golden while keeping the chicken juicy inside.
When frying, I heat the oil to around 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, dip a wooden chopstick or spoon in the oil. Steady bubbles mean it’s ready. If the oil starts to smoke, turn it down. This method works every time, even for beginners, giving chicken that perfect crispy outside and tender inside.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Corn starch
- All-purpose flour
- Oil
- Soy sauce
- Shaoxing wine
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
- Water
- Salt
- White sesame
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1. Marinate the chicken with the Marinade for 30 minutes. Mix all the ingredients for the Sauce and set aside.
Step 2. Coat the marinated chicken with the corn starch and all-purpose flour mixture. Heat a wok with about two inches of oil. Once the oil is fully heated, deep-fry the chicken until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a dish lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Step 3. Add all the ingredients for the sauce to a small saucepan and bring it to a quick boil. Transfer the fried chicken to the sauce and stir to coat it well.
Step 4. Dish out, top with white sesame, and serve immediately.
Cooking Tips For Home Cooks
The lemon sauce for chicken should just lightly coat the chicken pieces so that every bite of is complete with a crunchy texture, perfected with a sweet, aromatic, and tart flavor from the lemony sauce.
I also like topping the chicken with some white sesame seeds, as they immediately dress up the chicken with a nice presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 280 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
As with most Chinese food recipes, this chicken is just perfect with some warm and fluffy steamed white rice.
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 10 oz (280g) skinless, boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, sifted and combine well
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- oil, for deep-frying
- 1/2 teaspoon white sesame
Marinade:
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, optional
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Lemon Sauce:
- 5 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar , or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt , or to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients in the Marinade for 30 minutes.
- Mix all the ingredients for the Lemon Sauce and set aside.
- Add the cornstarch and all-purpose flour to the chicken, stirring to coat each piece evenly.
- Heat a saucepan or wok with about 2 inches of oil. Once the oil is hot, deep-fry the chicken until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil.
- In a shallow pan over low heat, add the Lemon Sauce mixture. Once the sauce thickens, add the fried chicken and stir to coat evenly. Dish out, top with white sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- To make crispy chicken, use a basic combination of all-purpose flour and corn starch.
- The lemon sauce for chicken should just lightly coat the chicken pieces so that every bite of is complete with a crunchy texture, perfected with a sweet, aromatic, and tart flavor from the lemony sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this lemon chicken with a few variations. I marinated the chicken in Yoshida marinade that is my go to for stir fry and such. The recipe turned out very good. I plan on making it again. The marinating time made the chicken so tender
That’s great Marie, you are so creative. Thanks for your comment and review and please try more recipes on my site!
This was so easy and came out very well. Thank you. I have made your rendang recipes over and over and they are a favourite every time.
Hi Jil. Thanks for trying my lemon chicken and rendang recipes and giving me 5 stars rating!
First time making this and the sauce was a perfect combination. I cooked a side of linguine with olive oil and garlic salt and put the chicken on top, amazing.
Nice! :)
Still a favourite with even the picky not-so-small-now ones. So easy to do and any extra chicken bits are great to pick on for lunches/snackes the next day.
It was FANTASTIC!!!! Even the picky eaters in my family were grabbing seconds! I substituted all the parts where it mentioned cornstarch or flour for cornflour, and I got perfect results. Definitely gonna make this again.
Thanks!
Does it freeze?
Yes you can but not recommended.
I didn’t have the shaoxing wine and sesame seeds but it still turned out so tasty! I also used an air fryer at first. Great recipe