HOT WOK OFFER. 2 x free cookbooks with every wok purchase. Limited time only. SHOP NOW →
RECIPES
MK DAILY
FOOD PRODUCTS
SHOP
RECIPES
MK DAILY
FOOD PRODUCTS
SHOP
HOT WOK OFFER. 2 x free cookbooks with every wok purchase. Limited time only. SHOP NOW →
RECIPES
MK DAILY
SHOP
RECIPES
MK DAILY
SHOP
HOT WOK OFFER. 2 x free cookbooks with every wok purchase. Limited time only. SHOP NOW →
PRINT THIS
Jump to Recipe ↓
Ditch the Chinese takeout imposter for real-deal deliciousness with my version of the classic. Crispy fried chicken that can resist that sweet, sticky lemon sauce without going soggy? You heard me – this is my best lemon chicken recipe ever.
PREP TIME
20 minutes
COOK TIME
10 minutes
SERVES
4
Ingredients
600g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken breast, cut into 1cm (⅜ inch) thick slice
1 egg white, beaten well
2 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
3 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
sea salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and very finely sliced on the diagonal
Coating
¾ cup plain (all purpose) flour
½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Lemon sauce
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 1½ tbsp water
Steps
Add the chicken, egg white, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the coating, whisk the flour, cornflour, salt and baking power in a bowl. Fill a saucepan or wok to about one-third capacity with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces lots of bubbles.
While the oil heats, let’s make the lemon sauce. Combine the stock, lemon juice, sugar, rice vinegar, Shadowing wine and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cornflour mixture to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute or until thickened. Keep warm.
Working in two batches, add the chicken to the coating mixture, tossing it well to coat each piece. Cook half the chicken in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a tray lined with baking paper, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Arrange the lemon slices on a serving platter, then pile the chicken on top. Drizzle with the hot lemon sauce, scatter with the spring onion, then serve.
Notes:
– Chinese Shaoxing wine is a type of cooking rice wine. It’s available in the Asian aisle of some major supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store. If you’d rather leave it out, simply replace with chicken stock.
What does lemon chicken taste like?
Lemon chicken is a highly popular Chinese recipe that you’ll find on many restaurant and takeaway menus. Our version of Chinese lemon chicken features boneless and skinless chicken breast that’s dredged in a coating, then fried until it’s golden and crispy. Lemon sauce gets drizzled on top, which is a tangy mix of sweet and sour.
30-minute mealsBest-ever chicken recipesChickenChinese cuisineDinnerLunchStir-friesTakeaway classicsWeekend meals
APPEARS IN THESE
Collections
- 30-minute meals
- Best-ever chicken recipes
- Chicken
- Chicken stir-fry recipes
- Chinese cuisine
- Dinner
- Chicken Dinner
- Easy Dinner
- Lunch
- Chicken Lunch
- Stir-fries
- Takeaway classics
- Weekend meals
What our customers say
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5
5.0 out of 5 stars (based on 11 reviews)
Excellent100%
Very good0%
Average0%
Poor0%
Terrible0%
RATE AND REVIEW
Deb
November 16, 2023
Simply the best 🥰
Thank you Marion . I am now a Marion’s kitchen convert. I have made this twice and both times delicious. This is by far the tastiest and easiest, repeat, tastiest and easiest lemon chicken I’ve ever made. Definitely a keeper.
Jasper
August 28, 2023
Just superb
Easy to cook, and definitely better than any I’ve had in a Chinese restaurant. And even heats up again ok the next day.
Kathy
August 2, 2023
Amazing Lemon Chicken
My husband always orders this when we get takeout and I never eat it. After seeing this recipe and watching the video, I loved it and so did the husband. Really easy to make.
Popular on Marion's Kitchen
Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken
|
Ingredients
600g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken breast, cut into 1cm (⅜ inch) thick slice
1 egg white, beaten well
2 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
3 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
sea salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and very finely sliced on the diagonal
Coating
¾ cup plain (all purpose) flour
½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Lemon sauce
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup caster (superfine) sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 1½ tbsp water
Steps
Add the chicken, egg white, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the coating, whisk the flour, cornflour, salt and baking power in a bowl. Fill a saucepan or wok to about one-third capacity with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces lots of bubbles.
While the oil heats, let’s make the lemon sauce. Combine the stock, lemon juice, sugar, rice vinegar, Shadowing wine and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cornflour mixture to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute or until thickened. Keep warm.
Working in two batches, add the chicken to the coating mixture, tossing it well to coat each piece. Cook half the chicken in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a tray lined with baking paper, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Arrange the lemon slices on a serving platter, then pile the chicken on top. Drizzle with the hot lemon sauce, scatter with the spring onion, then serve.
Notes:
– Chinese Shaoxing wine is a type of cooking rice wine. It’s available in the Asian aisle of some major supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store. If you’d rather leave it out, simply replace with chicken stock.
FOOD PRODUCTS
Curry Paste
Meal Kits
Chilli Sauces
Marion's Original Marinades
Marion's Original Salad Dressings
Where to Buy
GET HELP
Contact Us
Shipping and Delivery
Returns and Exchanges
@2022 Marion's Kitchen
Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!
Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!
FOOD PRODUCTS
EXPLORE
WORK WITH US
GET HELP
Curry Paste
Recipes
Media Partnerships
Contact Us
Meal Kits
MK Daily
Content Production
Shipping and Delivery
Marion's Original Marinades
Shop
Marion's Original Salad Dressings
Where to Buy
@2021 Marion's Kitchen
Terms
Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Accessibility
Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!
FOOD PRODUCTS
Curry Paste
Meal Kits
Chilli Sauces
Marion's Original Marinades
Marion's Original Salad Dressings
Where to Buy
EXPLORE
Recipes
MK Daily
About Us
Shop
WORK WITH US
Media Partnerships
Content Production
GET HELP
Contact Us
Shipping and Delivery
Returns and Exchanges
@2021 Marion's Kitchen
Privacy Policy Terms of Service
We use cookies on our website to enhance your browsing experience and to analyze our website traffic. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL cookies.
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisem*nt cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.