Chinese Lemon Chicken with Sweet and Tangy Sauce

Chinese Lemon Chicken with Sweet and Tangy Sauce

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Chinese lemon chicken is lightly fried until golden, then baked in the sticky homemade sauce packed with bright lemon flavor. Make a full take-out-style meal at home with my easy fried rice, cream cheese wontons, and chow mein!

Plate of Chinese lemon chicken on a bed of rice.

When Life Hands You Lemons Make This Chicken

  • That sticky lemon sauce: It has the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.
  • Better than takeout: You get tender chicken and plenty of homemade sauce in every bite.
  • Simple ingredients: Everything is made with easy ingredients you can find at the grocery store.

A Reader’s Review

Oh gosh delicious and nothing easier. Thank you for the wonderful food.

Carol

Ingredients for Lemon Chicken

Overhead shot of labeled Chinese lemon chicken ingredients. Overhead shot of labeled Chinese lemon chicken ingredients.
  • Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer!
  • Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil is best! Add more if needed for frying.
Overhead shot of labeled sauce ingredients.Overhead shot of labeled sauce ingredients.
  • Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best! Bottled can also work.
  • Lemon Zest: This is a MUST! It gives the sauce the perfect lemony flavor.
  • Adjust the Sweetness: For a tangier sauce, slightly reduce the sugar or add a little more lemon juice.

How to Make Chinese Lemon Chicken

This crispy chinese lemon chicken recipe takes a little extra time, but browning the chicken first gives it a delicious coating, while baking it in the sauce makes every piece sweet, sticky, and flavorful. If you like this recipe, I know you’ll love my orange or honey chicken!

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and black pepper. Add cornstarch to one bowl and beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch, then coat it in the egg mixture.
  2. Cook Chicken: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish.
  3. Make Sauce: Mix sugar, lemon juice, soy sauce, white vinegar, lemon zest, garlic salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl.
  4. Pour and Bake: Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 45 minutes. Stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce. Garnish Chinese lemon chicken with green onion and lemon wedges over rice, then enjoy!
Bowl of egg next to a bowl of chicken coated in corn starch. Bowl of egg next to a bowl of chicken coated in corn starch.
Coated chicken pieces frying in oil in a skillet.Coated chicken pieces frying in oil in a skillet.
Bowl of Chinese lemon chicken sauce mixed together. Bowl of Chinese lemon chicken sauce mixed together.
Someone pouring the lemon sauce over the browned fried chicken pieces in a 9x13 pan. Someone pouring the lemon sauce over the browned fried chicken pieces in a 9x13 pan.

Alyssa’s Pro Crispy Chicken Tips

  1. Chicken Pieces: Cut the chicken evenly into similar sized pieces.
  2. Cook in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the skillet.
  3. Brown the Outside: The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
  4. Stir While Baking: Toss the chicken every 15 minutes to coat it evenly in the sauce.

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  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

  • Add 1½ cups cornstarch to one bowl and 3 large beaten eggs to another bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the cornstarch, then coat it in the egg mixture.

  • Heat ½ cup canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.

  • Mix ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl.

  • Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 45 minutes. Stir the chicken every 15 minutes so that it is coated in the sauce.

  • Serve over rice and enjoy!

Leftover Instructions

  • In the refrigerator: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • To reheat: Warm the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat or in a 350°F oven until heated through. The microwave will work, but the coating will be softer.
  • In the freezer: Freeze the cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving: 1gCalories: 823kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 42gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 248mgSodium: 1195mgPotassium: 738mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 257IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Chinese Takeout-Style Recipes

Overhead shot of the Chinese lemon chicken all cooked and ready to eat.Overhead shot of the Chinese lemon chicken all cooked and ready to eat.

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