Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken
Chinese lemon chicken is a takeaway dish that can be easily recreated at home and in under 30 minutes! Each bite of chicken is perfectly crispy with a burst of citrusy flavor in every bite!
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh (boneless, skinless)
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 tbsp soy sauce reduced sodium
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil can also do olive oil or vegetable oil
Sauce
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/4 cup sugar or honey
- 1/2 cup soy sauce reduced sodium
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into cubes and add the soy sauce, pepper, garlic, cornstarch, oil, and lemon zest and set aside to marinate for 10-30 min. If the mixture isn’t wet enough, add 1-2 tbsp of water.
- Heat up your oil in a large non-stick skillet on high heat. You will need about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of any frying oil and make sure it gets to about 325 degrees F before you add your chicken. To test this, drop a small piece of chicken in and if it starts sizzling then its ready. In a separate plate, add 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Coat chicken pieces fully in the cornstarch mixture. This extra step will allow for an extra crispy coating!
- Once you have hot oil, fry the chicken in small batches so they have enough room to cook and get extra crispy! They should only take 3-4 minutes per side or be 165 degrees F for the internal temperature. Place chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel when finished to drain the excess oil.
- To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, corn starch slurry (just mix the water and corn starch in a separate bowl), garlic, pepper, lemon juice, zest, butter and sugar in a pan until combined. Cook on medium heat until bubbly and when the sauce has thickened, put the heat on low.
- Then add in your crispy chicken and toss them until fully coated in the tangy lemon sauce! Top with sesame seeds and green onions and enjoy!