Description
A bright and crispy take on Chinese lemon chicken, featuring marinated chicken thighs coated in cornstarch and tossed in a zesty lemon sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lbs (680g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 egg white
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¾ cup (90g) cornstarch
- Neutral oil for frying
- ⅓ cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, whisked with 1 tablespoon cold water
- Steamed jasmine rice for serving
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Toss the chicken pieces with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg white, and white pepper. Mix well and leave for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, sugar, chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Set aside with the cornstarch slurry ready nearby.
- Coat and fry the chicken. Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade, shake off excess, and toss in cornstarch until evenly coated on all sides. Heat 1 inch of neutral oil in a wide pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
- Cook the sauce. Heat the lemon sauce in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey and sugar dissolve and the sauce comes to a gentle simmer, about 2–3 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir constantly until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 1 minute.
- Toss and serve. Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss quickly to coat—no more than 30 seconds. Plate immediately over steamed jasmine rice, garnished with scallions, sesame seeds, and lemon slices.
Notes
Fry the chicken fresh for maximum crunch, as the coating softens over time. Make the lemon sauce ahead and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg