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Chicken Lunch Dinner 30 Minutes or Less Asian
4.7 from 84 votes

Chinese Lemon Chicken

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •10/8/22 45 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for chinese lemon chicken.

This scrumptious Chinese Lemon Chicken has an incredibly tasty and crispy coating, served with a delicious lemon sauce and is ready in just 30 minutes! This is a classic Chinese takeout recipe, but can be easily made at home!

chinese lemon chicken on a serving platter garnished with green onions.
Table of Contents Open
  • Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe
  • Why You Should Make This Lemon Chicken
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How To Make Chinese Lemon Chicken
  • Do I Have To Use Only Chicken Breasts?
  • Can I Add Some Veggies To This Lemon Chicken?
  • Serve This Lemon Chicken With
    • The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Skillet Green Beans
    • Roasted Potatoes With Garlic Sauce
  • Expert Tips
  • Storing Leftover Lemon Chicken
    • Fridge
    • Freezer
  • More Great Chinese Recipes To Try
  • Chinese Lemon Chicken
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe

Chinese Lemon Chicken is such a classic takeout dish, almost as popular as the Orange Chicken. But if I had to pick a favorite, I’d probably go with this lemon chicken. I’m talking about a super crispy coating and a totally addicting lemon sauce. When paired together, it’s a match made in heaven!

This lemon chicken comes with plenty of sauce, and it’s such a delicious lemon sauce with a bit of sweetness added to it. But the best part of this chicken dish is the super crispy coating, so go ahead and keep on reading to see how it’s done.

Why You Should Make This Lemon Chicken

  • Easy Fast Steps
  • Super Crispy Chicken
  • Ready in just 30 Minutes
  • Crowd Favorite
  • Perfect for Busy Weeknights

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make chinese lemon chicken.
  • Chicken: I am using chicken breast for this recipe, sliced in half to get a thinner form. Boneless chicken thighs work as well.
  • Eggs: Two large eggs will be used to help the flour and cornstarch mix to stick to the chicken pieces.
  • Seasoning: Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Olive Oil: Regular or extra virgin works well.
  • Cornstarch and Flour: Besides using it to thicken our lemon sauce, this is my secret ingredient that I use to dredge the chicken through. Combine this cornstarch with some flour and we got ourselves super crispy coating on our breast fillets.
  • Butter: I usually use unsalted butter so I can control the intake of sodium in this recipe.
  • Lemon: One lemon will be cut into wedges and the other will be juiced.
  • Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works well.
  • Broth: I like to use chicken broth for this recipe with low sodium.
  • Green Onions: roughly chop them to garnish the final dish.

How To Make Chinese Lemon Chicken

process shots showing how to bread chicken and fry it.
  1. Prepare the Chicken. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise (butterflied) to get two thinner pieces from each breast. Combine the eggs with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. In another bowl combine the ½ cup cornstarch with the flour and mix well. Dredge the chicken through the egg first, then through the flour mixture.
  2. Cooking your Chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, as many as you can fit, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
  3. Make the Sauce. Drain any leftover oil from the skillet. Add the butter to the skillet and melt. Add the lemon juice, sugar, chicken broth, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk everything well together and cook until the sauce has thickened and is smooth.
  4. Ready to Serve. Slice the chicken into thin strips and pour lemon sauce over. Serve with rice.
process shots showing how to make lemon sauce for chinese lemon chicken.

Do I Have To Use Only Chicken Breasts?

Absolutely not. You can work with boneless chicken thighs as well. Just make the chicken gets fully cooked. Chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Can I Add Some Veggies To This Lemon Chicken?

For sure! Try adding some asparagus, green beans or even zucchini! They will complement the chicken nicely.

Serve This Lemon Chicken With

closeup of roasted broccoli on a baking sheet.
35 mins

The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

cilantro lime rice in a pot garnished with cilantro and lime wedge.
35 mins

Cilantro Lime Rice

green beans in a skillet with a wooden spoon
20 mins

Skillet Green Beans

overhead shot of a bowl of roasted potatoes
1 hr 5 mins

Roasted Potatoes With Garlic Sauce

sliced up fried chicken on a cutting board.

Expert Tips

  1. Usually, the lemon sauce that is served with lemon chicken in restaurants, usually is more yellow in color. If you’d like to achieve that neon yellow color, add 2 or 3 drops of yellow food coloring.
  2. After you fry the chicken, make sure you place a paper towel on the plate to soak up any extra oil and to leave the chicken nice and crispy.
  3. If you’d like your sauce thicker, add a bit more cornstarch to it, until desired consistency.
sliced up chinese lemon chicken with a side of rice and garnished with lemon slices.

Storing Leftover Lemon Chicken

Fridge

Store leftover lemon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Freezer

Freeze this in an airtight containers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up in the oven, on the stove, or on the microwave.

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

More Great Chinese Recipes To Try

  • Chinese Honey Chicken
  • Chinese Chicken Skewers
  • Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
  • Homemade Egg Rolls
  • Crockpot Chinese Pork with Noodles
  • Orange Chicken

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.
Print
4.67 from 84 votes

Chinese Lemon Chicken

Prep 20 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Rate Recipe
This scrumptious Chinese Lemon Chicken has an incredibly tasty and crispy coating, served with a delicious lemon sauce and is ready in just 30 minutes! This is a classic Chinese takeout recipe, but can be easily made at home!
6

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 3 large chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Lemon Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
  • ½ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • ¼ cup sugar (granulated)
  • ⅔ cup chicken broth (low sodium)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Garnish

  • 2 green onions (chopped)
  • 1 lemon (cut in wedges)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Butterfly the chicken breasts: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise (butterflied) to get two thinner pieces from each breast.
  • Prepare the dredge: Combine the eggs with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. In another bowl combine the ½ cup cornstarch with the flour and mix well.
  • Dredge the chicken: Dredge the chicken through the egg first, then through the flour mixture.
  • Fry chicken in batches: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, as many as you can fit, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
  • Make the lemon sauce: Drain any leftover oil from the skillet. Add the butter to the skillet and melt. Add the lemon juice, sugar, chicken broth, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk everything well together and cook until the sauce has thickened and is smooth.
  • Finish the dish and serve: Slice the chicken into thin strips and pour lemon sauce over. Serve with rice.

Video

Notes

  1. The lemon sauce that is served with lemon chicken in restaurants, usually is more yellow in color. If you’d like to achieve that neon yellow color, add 2 or 3 drops of yellow food coloring.
  2. After you fry the chicken, make sure you place a paper towel on the plate to soak up any extra oil and to leave the chicken nice and crispy.
  3. If you’d like your sauce thicker, add a bit more cornstarch to it, until desired consistency.
  4. Store leftover lemon chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
  5. Freeze this in an airtight containers for up to 3 months! Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating back up in the oven, on the stove, or on the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1chicken pieceCalories: 255kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 27g (9%)Protein: 16g (32%)Fat: 9g (14%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mg (36%)Sodium: 391mg (17%)Potassium: 321mg (9%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 270IU (5%)Vitamin C: 19mg (23%)Calcium: 25mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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45 Comments
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Margaret White
Margaret White
Posted: 1 day ago

I made this was moist and tender chicken but I used too much lemon juice
Will fix that next time.

0
Reply
Jody H
Jody H
Posted: 11 days ago

made this last night, absolutely beautiful and will be making this again

0
Reply
Laura Kelly
Laura Kelly
Posted: 11 days ago

Love this easy to follow recipe and tastes great! I’ve made it into freezable batches as no one else in my family likes lemon chicken! I’ll be enjoying it for lunches or dinners when I need to grab something quick! Thank you!

FDD09882-E40D-46CC-87D8-5E6C78A7F2C9.jpeg
0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Laura Kelly
Posted: 11 days ago

It looks great, glad you enjoyed the recipe!

0
Reply
Misty
Misty
Posted: 1 month ago

I like to cut the chicken and make into chicken nuggets for the grands. They love to dip.

1
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
Posted: 2 months ago

4 stars
I loved this recipe. I always have a hard time getting the batter to stick to the chicken and it definitely takes more than a half hour to make. I think next time I’ll make the lemon sauce first so my chicken isn’t cold. Also, the green onions make it so don’t skimp on them!

1
Reply
Christine
Christine
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
Made this in the air fryer to avoid using oil and frying and it was good but not great. I had 2 breasts left to go so I fried them in the pan with olive oil and they were superb! I’m going to make this recipe again and pan fry them all next time! Delicious!

1
Reply
T.M
T.M
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
Fantastic recipe! Easy and delicious. Definitely adding it to the dinner rotation

1
Reply
FrankDrakman
FrankDrakman
Posted: 3 months ago

5 stars
Used chicken thighs instead of breasts, so came out a little less “pretty” but still tasted great. Agree that the sauce is a little bland looking, but I didn’t bother to add any food colouring.

0
Reply
Jane
Jane
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
Hi Jo. So I made the sauce by its self. I added to stir fried vegetables and served it with rice and oven baked tempura fish bites. Fabulous! I have been searching for a lemon sauce recipe. You nailed it Jo! 10 stars out of 5!

2
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Jane
Posted: 4 months ago

Thank you, Jane. Glad you enjoyed it!

0
Reply
Missy
Missy
Posted: 9 months ago

This was so delicious! I love how you made it low sodium! I had all but given up looking for that and just usually modified existing recipes. So good!!!

0
Reply
Terry A
Terry A
Posted: 10 months ago

5 stars
Really worked well for me. I altered it slightly slicing the breasts into fingers before dredging them in the flour mixture. this serves to give the chicken all over crispy coating. I thought the recipe to be outstanding and served it with rice.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Terry A
Posted: 10 months ago

So glad you liked it, Terry!

0
Reply
Maureen
Maureen
Posted: 11 months ago

we loved this recipe. my husband seems to like the chinese recipes I make and we think this is a keeper. we will keep it in our favorites folder. That’s a compliment because we only have two other recipes in there.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Maureen
Posted: 11 months ago

So happy to hear this!

0
Reply
Joan Hylinski
Joan Hylinski
Posted: 11 months ago

I make this quite often. I also add matchstick carrots to the sauce while cooking it.

1
Reply
Julie Cracchiolo
Julie Cracchiolo
Posted: 11 months ago

5 stars
Easy and the family LOVES it.

0
Reply
Rev. Carl Peterson
Rev. Carl Peterson
Posted: 1 year ago

I just came across your recipe a few days ago and am giving it a try tonight. My daughter is gluten-free and dairy-free so I know I will be using a different flour and no butter. I will substitute the flour with a GF mix, so little difference in texture there, and plan to substitute 1 Tbl olive oil for the 2 Tbl butter. I’m excited to give this a try and expect great results, especially based on other comments. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Rev. Carl Peterson
Posted: 1 year ago

Let me know how it turned out!

0
Reply
Rev. Carl Peterson
Rev. Carl Peterson
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 1 year ago

Your recipe was excellent. I substituted the flour as indicated and the breading turmeric it very delicate. I used a brown rice and potato starch blend and increased the cornstarch a little. The tablespoon of olive oil was a perfect substitute. I overthickened the sauce a little and thinned it with a little more broth (about a tablespoon). The flavors were wonderful. We’ll be repeating this meal.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Rev. Carl Peterson
Posted: 1 year ago

So glad you liked it!

0
Reply

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