Chinese Lemon Chicken

This oft-requested Chinese lemon chicken recipe is a delicious,

refreshing alternative to the usual crispy sweet and sour chicken.

Prep Time Cook Time Total Time

45 mins 20 mins 1 hr 5 mins

Course: Chicken Cuisine: American/Chinese Servings: 4

5 from 13 votes
Calories: 457kcal Author: Bill

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:

1. 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:

1. 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).

2. 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.

3. 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated
Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 863mg |
Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron:
2mg

Chinese Lemon Chicken by The Woks of Life. Recipe URL: https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-lemon-chicken/