Chinese lemon chicken is a delicious, refreshing alternative to the usual sweet and sour chicken. Fresh lemons really make this chicken dish, and although our sweet and sour chicken recipe nails it every time, this lemon chicken may just become your new favorite.
We’ve gotten many requests for this recipe over the years. Crispy on the outside and coated with a sticky lemony sauce with fresh lemon juice, zest, and slices, all you lemon lovers will love it!
Batter Fried Chicken vs. Crispy Coating
When it comes to lemon chicken at Chinese takeout restaurants, some make a light batter, while others use a crispier dry coating. My personally preference is a wet batter (made with beer or seltzer) that fries up to a light and airy texture that’s delightful with the lemon sauce.
Others (Sarah), will say that the wet batter fried chicken doesn’t hold up as well when covered in the lemon sauce, losing its crunch. She does have a point, though in both cases double-frying helps maintain that crispiness.
We have instructions for both, as it’s a personal choice. You can decide which you’d like to try! Regardless of which you choose, eat this lemon chicken fresh! If doing anything ahead of time, be sure to complete the second fry and toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving.
FAQs
Velveting chicken is a game changer when it comes to ensuring juicy, flavorful chicken in many Chinese dishes. The answer is a definite yes! Just be mindful of the moisture level of the chicken, since these chicken pieces won’t be stir-fried, but coated in batter before frying. The chicken should be moist, but there should not be any standing liquid in your velveted chicken before dropping the pieces into your batter or coating.
Using white or dark meat for any chicken dish is a personal preference! For Chinese lemon chicken, we like to use white breast meat, which has a milder taste and texture. Dark meat is more preferable for darker sauces or dishes with stronger flavors. But that’s my personal opinion, so you make the choice.
While using pre-squeezed or concentrated lemon juice for your sauce is definitely a time saver and convenience, we suggest using fresh lemons here. We use the juice, zest, and slices for maximum lemon flavor. Be sure to buy quality lemons—they should feel heavy for their size. If they’ve been sitting in the fridge, roll them under your hands on the counter to get the juices flowing. I got my ¼ cup of juice from 1 large lemon, and still had enough for fresh slices for the dish and for a cup of Judy’s tea. However, if you get a lemon of a lemon, you can supplement with some pre-squeezed lemon juice that you have on hand.
While many Chinese restaurants do not do this, I like to include lemon slices in the dish. I love the strong lemon flavor (rind and all). I try to include a lemon slice in each bite of chicken. Kaitlin said eating the lemon slices was too intense, and I could have her share!
Video: Watch Us Make this recipe!
(and get a few additional tips!)
Lemon Chicken Cooking Tips:
- When making this acidic sauce, make sure you use a non-reactive or stainless steel pan. If you use your carbon steel wok to make the sauce, you will damage its patina.
- Make sure you wait at least 5 minutes after the first fry before the second fry. This allows the chicken to cool, giving time for moisture to escape, resulting in crispier results.
- If making this Chinese lemon chicken recipe ahead of time, you can fry the chicken, make the sauce, and store them separately. Once ready, you can refry the chicken and reheat the sauce, then do a final toss before serving.
- If you have lots of other dishes, we suggest serving the chicken and the sauce separately at the table. When you’re ready to eat, pour the sauce over the chicken just before enjoying. If you do this, feel free to double the sauce recipe so no one runs out!
- Air fryers are great for reheating previously fried chicken, but they don’t work well for frying the chicken the first time, especially if you use a wet batter.
- If you like black pepper, you can try topping your lemon chicken with some freshly ground pepper for a tasty lemon pepper flavor!
Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
Toss the chicken in the Shaoxing wine, salt, garlic powder, sesame oil, cornstarch, and white pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes (or overnight, if marinating in advance).
Fry the chicken:
For the batter fried version, combine ½ cup of the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, white pepper, and turmeric (if using). Just before you’re ready to fry, mix in the seltzer and sesame oil, just until the batter is smooth.
Dredge the chicken in the remaining ¼ cup of flour.
Heat a small pot of oil to 350°F/175°C. Drop 5-6 pieces of the marinated, dredged chicken into the batter, and use chopsticks, a fork, or your fingers to coat the chicken, placing each carefully into the oil.
Adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature at around 325°F/160°C (dropping the chicken into the oil will immediately lower the temperature).
Tip!
If you prefer a dry crispy coating over batter fried chicken, use the crispy chicken coating option, which has dry ingredients only. A dry coating also allows you to use less oil and shallow-fry the pieces instead of deep-frying. This method should also make for a longer lasting crispy texture. Whichever method you use, remember to let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before the second and final fry.
For the crispy coating option, heat 1½ to 2 cups of oil in your wok for shallow frying, until it reaches 325°F/160°C. Combine the cornstarch, flour, salt, white pepper, turmeric, and sesame oil. Dredge the chicken in the dry mixture, and drop them into the oil, in batches of 5-6 pieces.
***
Use chopsticks or a slotted spoon to carefully turn the chicken pieces occasionally (in either case!), so all sides are uniformly fried.
Fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is light golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Let any excess oil drain off before placing onto a rack or paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all the chicken has been fried.
Make the lemon sauce & assemble the dish:
Juice the lemon(s) until you get ¼ cup juice. Slice a few thin rounds of lemon (about ⅛-inch/3mm thick), and zest the remainder so you have about 1 teaspoon. Slice the rounds into sixths, so you have small wedge slices. Add the juice, zest, and slices to a non-reactive/stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, along with the water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, reheat your oil to 350°F/175°C. Fry your chicken into the oil in 2 batches, re-frying each batch, maintaining the heat at at least 325°F/160°C for 2 minutes, or until crispy.
With the lemon sauce still simmering, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
If the sauce thickens to this point before you add all of the slurry, don’t add the remainder; just discard it! You can do this while the chicken is frying for the second time.
Once all the chicken is fried, toss it into the sauce.
Fold it in with 3-4 scooping motions, until the pieces are lightly coated. Plate and serve immediately! If you like, you can garnish with additional fresh lemon slices.
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Recipe
Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs—cut into 1½ inch/4cm chunks)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Neutral oil for frying (such as peanut, vegetable, or canola oil)
Batter option:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch turmeric powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup cold beer (a mild lager is best, or plain seltzer/club soda)
Crispy coating option:
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch turmeric powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
For the lemon sauce:
- 1-2 fresh lemons (to yield ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ lemon for slices, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 1 1/2 tablespoons water)
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Toss the chicken in the Shaoxing wine, salt, garlic powder, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper. Set aside for 20 minutes (or overnight, if marinating in advance).
Fry the chicken:
- For the batter fried version, combine ½ cup of the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, white pepper, and turmeric (if using). Just before you’re ready to fry, mix in the seltzer and sesame oil, just until the batter is smooth. Dredge the chicken in the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Heat a small pot of oil to 350°F/175°C. Drop 5-6 pieces of the marinated, dredged chicken into the batter, and use chopsticks, a fork, or your fingers to coat the chicken, placing each carefully into the oil. Adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature at around 325°F/160°C (dropping the chicken into the oil will immediately lower the temperature).
- For the crispy coating option, heat 1½ to 2 cups of oil in your wok for shallow frying, until it reaches 325°F/160°C. Combine the cornstarch, flour, salt, white pepper, turmeric, and sesame oil. Dredge the chicken in the dry mixture, and drop them into the oil, in batches of 5-6 pieces.
- Use chopsticks or a slotted spoon to carefully turn the chicken pieces occasionally (in either case!), so all sides are uniformly fried. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the chicken is light golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, and let any excess oil drain off before placing onto a rack or paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all the chicken has been fried.
Make the lemon sauce & assemble the dish:
- Juice the lemon(s) until you get ¼ cup juice. Slice a few thin rounds of lemon (about ⅛-inch/3mm thick), and zest the remainder so you have about 1 teaspoon. Slice the rounds into sixths, so you have small wedge slices. Add the juice, zest, and slices to a non-reactive/stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat, along with the water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, reheat your oil to 350°F/175°C. Fry your chicken into the oil in 2 batches, re-frying each batch, maintaining the heat at at least 325°F/160°C for 2 minutes, or until crispy.
- With the lemon sauce still simmering, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. If the sauce thickens to this point before you add all of the slurry, don’t add the remainder; just discard it! You can do this while the chicken is frying for the second time.
- Once all the chicken is fried, toss it into the sauce, and fold it in with 3-4 scooping motions, until the pieces are lightly coated. Plate and serve immediately! If you like, you can garnish with additional fresh lemon slices.
