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0 from 66 votes

Chinese Lemon Chicken

This Chinese Lemon Chicken is way better than take-out!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • (4) boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 3 large eggs (whisked)
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • salt
Lemon Sauce:
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4-5 lemons)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon zest (from one lemon)
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

To make Lemon Sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium pot, add lemon juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 3 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add to lemon sauce and whisk together. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and add lemon zest.
To make Chicken:
  1. Place flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish or pie plate. Add a pinch of salt. Stir.
  2. Whisk eggs in a shallow dish. Dip chicken pieces in the egg mixture and then flour mixture. Place on a plate.
  3. Heat 2 -3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Using a thermometer, watch for it to reach 350 degrees.
  4. Working in batches, cook several chicken pieces at a time. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, turning often until golden brown. Place chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat.
  5. Toss chicken with lemon sauce. You may reserve some of the sauce to place on rice. Serve it with a sprinkling of green onion and lemon zest, if so desired.

Notes

  • *If serving it with rice, you may want to make extra sauce. I would suggest 1 1/2 times the sauce recipe.