Make this Lemon Chicken recipe in under 30 min and instantly satisfy Chinese takeout cravings with crispy chicken in the tastiest, sticky lemon sauce.
The sauce is bursting with lemon flavor and gives the dish that gorgeous, crave-worthy takeout glossiness that makes me come back to this recipe again and again.
I published this recipe in Chatelaine magazine as well, and it has received a multitude of 5-star reviews. It’s SO good!
I’ve even given you an air fryer adaptation here (because I know someone is gonna ask). Enjoy!
Here’s What You Need
This recipe is made up of a few simple ingredients and kitchen tools.
Lemon Chicken Recipe Ingredients
Here are the ingredients to gather for this recipe:
For the chicken
- Chicken thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce adds a savory flavor and “salt.”
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the batter, creating a crispy coating.
- Cornstarch: Helps achieve an extra crispy texture. It is also used in the sauce to add gloss and thickness.
- Baking powder: Adds lightness and helps the batter puff up during cooking.
- Canola or peanut oil: Ideal for frying due to their high smoke points. I don’t recommend olive oil for this recipe.
- Green onion: Thinly sliced for garnish, adding a fresh, vibrant touch.
For the sauce
- Fresh lemon juice: Adds a bright, tangy flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the tartness of the lemon juice.
- Chicken broth: Use regular, not unsalted, for a rich, savory base. Alternatively, you can use water with bouillon concentrate.
- Lemon zest: Enhances the lemon flavor with its fragrant oils.
Substitutions and Variations
You can use this recipe as a base method and play around with it a bit:
- Chicken thighs: You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts or tenderloins for a leaner option.
- Soy sauce: Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.
- All-purpose flour: Replace with rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Canola or peanut oil: Substitute with vegetable or avocado oil if preferred.
- Green onion: Use chives or thinly sliced scallions as a garnish alternative.
- Chicken broth: Swap with vegetable broth for a vegetarian option, or use water with bouillon concentrate if you don’t have broth on hand.
- Orange Chicken: Swap in orange zest and juice, or try my Orange Chicken recipe.
Tools to Grab
Here’s what you’re going to need to make this recipe:
- Mixing bowl: To marinate the chicken in.
- Whisk: To whisk the cornstarch into.
- Saucepan: To cook the sauce in.
- Dutch oven: For frying. You could also use a deep skillet or pan.
- Tongs or slotted spoon: To remove the chicken from the oil.
- Wire wrack: To drain the chicken over.
- Air fryer – if you’re going with the air fryer version.
How to Make This Lemon Chicken Recipe
Here is how to make this incredibly tasty dish:
Marinate the chicken
Mix chicken pieces with soy sauce in a bowl and let them sit at room temperature while you prepare the batter and sauce.
Make the sauce
Off the heat, whisk cornstarch with lemon juice in a small saucepan until smooth.
Place the saucepan on medium heat, add sugar, broth, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Remove from heat.
Prepare the oil
Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375ºF. The pot should be deep enough so the oil doesn’t overflow.
Make the batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
Stir in water gently, then add the chicken and any leftover soy sauce from the bowl. Mix to coat the chicken evenly.
Fry the chicken
When the oil is 375ºF, use tongs to slide 6-8 chicken pieces into the oil, making sure they don’t touch. Fry in two batches.
Cook the chicken, turning once, until they are golden brown and reach 165ºF in the center, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Serve
Just before serving, gently reheat the sauce and pour it over the chicken, tossing until coated. Top with green onions to serve.
Air Fryer Version
Want to make this lemon chicken recipe in the air fryer? It won’t be quite as delicious, but it can be done! Here’s what to do:
Modify the coating
Instead of a cold-water batter, you’ll make a dry coating with little oil to make it crunchy:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
Marinate the Chicken:
- Toss chicken pieces with soy sauce in a bowl and let stand at room temperature while you prepare the coating.
Prepare the Coating:
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and panko breadcrumbs and oil, creating a slightly crumbly coating.
- Toss the marinated chicken pieces in this mixture, ensuring they are well coated.
Cook until crispy
Preheat your air fryer to 375ºF.
Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they don’t touch.
Cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF and is golden brown.
Serve with sauce
Reheat the sauce, pour over the chicken, and toss to coat. Top with green onions to serve.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Lemon Chicken
Here are a couple of common mishaps to avoid:
1. Overcrowding the oil: Frying too many chicken pieces at once can lower the oil temperature, resulting in greasy and unevenly cooked chicken. Always fry in batches to maintain the oil temperature and ensure crispy results.
2. Not checking oil temperature: Failing to maintain the oil at the correct temperature (375ºF) can affect the texture of the coating. Too hot and the batter may burn before the chicken is cooked; too cool and the chicken can become greasy. Use a cooking thermometer for accurate results.
3. Using warm water in the batter: Warm water can cause the batter to become dense and less crispy. Always use cold water when mixing the batter to ensure a light, airy coating.
4. Skipping the resting time: Allowing the marinated chicken to sit at room temperature before frying helps it absorb flavors and ensures a more even cook. Skipping this step can lead to unevenly seasoned and less tender chicken.
5. Not draining excess oil: Immediately placing the fried chicken on a paper towel-lined rack helps drain excess oil and keeps the coating crispy. Failing to drain properly can result in soggy chicken.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can marinate the chicken and prepare the sauce up to a day in advance. Keep the marinated chicken in the refrigerator and store the sauce in an airtight container.
Mix the batter and coat the chicken just before you’re ready to cook to ensure the crispiest results.
Storage
Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To maintain crispiness, reheat the chicken in the air fryer at 375ºF for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Avoid microwaving, as this can make the chicken soggy.
Keep any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat gently on the stove before using.
How to Serve this Lemon Chicken recipe
Serve these just as they are or with a bowl of rice or noodles and stir-fried green beans, bok choy, or broccoli.
It’s even yummy with pasta or mashed potatoes, so go ahead!
You can also add it cold to salads, wraps or dip it into sauces.
Final Notes, Pro Tips + Science-Based Secrets
Here are a couple of tips and tricks to know about this recipe:
- Uniform pieces: Cut the chicken into uniform pieces so they cook evenly:
- Oil temperature: Maintain the oil temperature at 375ºF for the crispiest results. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
- Serve immediately: These chicken pieces are best served hot and fresh for maximum crispiness.
- Cornstarch in the batter: Cornstarch absorbs moisture and creates a crisper coating when fried.
- Baking powder: The leavening action of baking powder creates tiny bubbles in the batter, which expand during frying to make the coating light and airy.
FAQs About Lemon Chicken
Just skim-reading this article? Here are the key take-outs:
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend, and use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
You can use vegetable broth as an alternative or mix water with bouillon concentrate.
Enhance the flavor by adding garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper or paprika to the batter, or mix in fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley.
Other Asian Take-Out Style Recipes You’ll Love
If you love quick, easy Asian takeout-inspired recipes, you must also try:
Lemon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For chicken:
- 1 lb chicken thighs about 5 cut in 1 ½” pieces
- 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup cold water
- Canola or peanut oil for frying
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
For sauce:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ regular not unsalted chicken broth (or ¼ cup water + ¾ tsp bouillon concentrate)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Toss chicken pieces with soy sauce in a bowl and let stand at room temperature while you make the batter and sauce.
- Off of heat, whisk cornstarch with lemon juice in a small saucepan until smooth. Place on medium heat, then add sugar, broth and zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook a few minutes more until sauce is thick and glossy. Remove from heat.
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375ºF. (The sides of the pot should be at least twice the depth of the oil.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Add the water, stir gently to combine, then add the chicken and any liquid in the bowl. Stir to evenly coat the chicken.
- When oil reaches 375ºF, slide 6-8 chicken pieces in using tongs. Work in 2 batches so that the pieces don’t touch.
- Cook chicken, turning once, until pieces are deeply golden brown and reach 165º in the centre, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined wire rack and continue with next batch until all chicken is cooked. Just before serving, gently reheat the sauce and pour over the chicken, tossing until coated. Top with green onion to serve.
Notes
Air Fryer Adaptation
If you want to try making this lemon chicken in the air fryer, it won’t be exactly like the deep-fried version, but it’s still tasty! Here’s how: Adjust the Coating: Instead of a batter, use a dry coating with a bit of oil for crispiness:- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I swapped out the regular flour for almond flour in the batter and it added a nice, nutty flavor to the chicken. Surprisingly good with the lemon sauce!
One aspect I especially appreciate about this lemon chicken recipe is the section on common mistakes. Thanks Jennifer, including such insights is great, especially for less experienced cooks.
loved this recipe!
The air fryer version sounds interesting! Trying to cut down on oil so this might be a perfect adaptation. Wonder if it tastes as good as the fried one though.
It’s never *quite* as good 😉
Just tried the lemon chicken recipe, and I’m in love! The sauce is the bomb. Never would’ve thought to marinate the chicken like that. Big thanks, Jenn!