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Healthier Chinese Lemon Chicken - thumbnail

Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken

Crispy Chinese LemonChicken is a classic Chinese take-out favorite and easy to make at home with crispy golden chicken coating and a glossy lemon sauce!
5 from 1 vote
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 622 kcal

Ingredients

Crumbed Chicken

  • 2 cups (200 g) panko breadcrumbs see notes
  • Oil spray
  • 475 g (475 g) chicken thigh cubed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (115 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs

Lemon Sauce

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp ginger finely minced/grated
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2/3 cup (165 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1 cup 250ml water
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds to garnish
  • 2 spring onion thinly sliced to garnish
  • Serve with rice

Instructions
 

Crumbed Chicken

  • Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a large baking tray and spread out. Spray with cooking oil spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden in color. Set aside to cool.
  • Cut the chicken into 2 inch cubes. Add the chicken, garlic powder, pepper, salt, flour and egg to a large bowl and mix until combined.
  • Transfer about 6 pieces of chicken into the panko breadcrumbs. Toss to coat.
  • Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.

To Make This In An Air Fryer

  • Breadcrumbs - For the breadcrumbs, toast the panko breadcrumbs in a fry pan until golden.
  • Chicken - Cook chicken on 200C for 20 minutes. Turn over or shake halfway through.

Lemon Sauce

  • Heat a large saucepan or wok to medium heat and add the sesame oil, ginger and garlic. Mix until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  • Add the stock, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and honey and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Then turn down to low heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes on a slow simmer. Finish by adding the corn starch slurry and stir whilst slowly pouring in. Continue stirring until mixture becomes clear again and thickens. Add the chicken right before serving and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced spring onion. Serve with rice, veggies or salad.

Notes

Chicken
  • I used chicken thigh in this recipe. It won’t be perfectly cubed, just make sure each piece is around the same size.
  • This will ensure everything cooks evenly and at the same time. The safe internal temperature of chicken is 75C / 165F.
  • You can use chicken tenderloins or breast instead of thigh.
 
Rice - Serve this with rice! I have a great recipe here. A salad wouldn’t go astray either.
Storage - Chinese Lemon Chicken can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition - is based on per serving. This makes 4 servings.
A note on measurements - all ingredients in this recipe are offered in Australian cup measurements and weight measurements. Weight measurements are created by me, in my kitchen here in Melbourne Australia. The best way to get recipe success is to measure ingredients by weight, using kitchen scales.
Total time for recipe takes into consideration that you will measure and make the sauce while chicken is baking.

Nutrition

Calories:622kcal | Carbohydrates:62g | Protein:31g | Fat:28g | Saturated Fat:7g | Polyunsaturated Fat:7g | Monounsaturated Fat:11g | Trans Fat:0.1g | Cholesterol:198mg | Sodium:1588mg | Potassium:474mg | Fiber:3g | Sugar:18g | Vitamin A:361IU | Vitamin C:16mg | Calcium:124mg | Iron:5mg
Keyword Chicken, chinese, Lemon
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