Just like its distant Chinese cousin, orange chicken, this lemon version will not disappoint. I promise!
If you have never tried it, the term lemon chicken – fried chicken coated in a sweet-and-sour lemon sauce – may not sound very exciting. Yet I have never met anyone who was not convinced after the first bite. This Chinese-American creation is flat-out delicious.
Ingredients for Chinese Lemon Chicken
If you would like to know everything about rice vinegar and how to use it in countless recipes, head over to my full article on the topic
Light soy sauce is available in every supermarket; it is simply regular salty soy sauce. Do not confuse it with dark soy sauce
Shaoxing wine is a staple in many of my recipes. You can click here to find substitutions, but I strongly suggest keeping a bottle on hand.
Tips for Chinese Lemon Chicken
Do not fry too many pieces at once or they will stick together. In my small Asian fryer I cook about 6 to 8 pieces at a time.
Serve the dish right away. My special breading is sturdy, but given enough time it will soften.
Use a cooking thermometer to keep the oil at the proper temperature. If it is too hot the outside will burn before the inside cooks; if it is too cool the meat will soak up oil and turn heavy and greasy (fat is life, but in moderation).
If you want leftovers, keep some of the crispy chicken separate from the sauce. You can then reheat each part on its own so the dish keeps its flavour and texture. You can even freeze the chicken (without the sauce) after the first fry and later “reheat” it by running it through the fryer – just like frozen fries.
You can use breast if you prefer, but thigh meat delivers the best flavour.
Other recipes similar to lemon chicken
If you enjoy these flavours, I highly recommend my garlic and honey chicken
Ingredients
MARINADE
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 300 g diced chicken thighs
FOR THE SAUCE
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
- 7 tablespoons water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
SUPER CRISPY BREADING
- 1 portion my universal batter recipe
Procédé
- Marinate the chicken for 2 hours
- Heat the oil to 200°C
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and coat it in the breadcrumbs. Fry all the pieces once (4–5 min) in small batches, then set them aside on a plate lined with paper towel (ideally on a rack).
- Once all the pieces are fried, fry them a second time until they are nicely golden, almost orange.
- Put all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and stir until it thickens. Turn off the heat and toss in the chicken.
