Chinese Lemon Chicken

Chinese Lemon Chicken is crisp on the outside and juicy and tender inside and tossed in a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. This restaurant quality take out classic is made easy with a my special time saving shortcut. This easy chicken recipe is sure to become a new family dinner favorite everyone will love! 

If there is one thing I can that is pretty consistent about dinner at my house it’s chicken as the main dish a dinnertime. The versatility of chicken means you can bake it in the oven like these Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs. Serve it in a soup like this Chicken Taco Soup, or in a casserole like this King Ranch Chicken Casserole. You can ever serve it on a sandwich like these Crispy Chicken Sandwiches. 

What is the special ingredient that makes this recipe so easy to make?

My version of this recipe is made with frozen Popcorn Dhicken! Using popcorn chicken saves you time prepping and frying chicken breasts. That means less time cooking dinner and less time cleaning up afterward.  Using pre-breaded frozen chicken pieces makes this recipe so E-A-S-Y! 

How to make Chinese Lemon Chicken:

(Scroll Down For Full Printable Recipe)

Ingredients: 

• Popcorn Chicken (my easy shortcut)
• Vegetable Oil
• Green Onions 
• Garlic
• Fresh Ginger Root
• Chili Flakes (optional)
• Granulated Sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Cornstarch
• Water 
• Salt and Pepper 

Special Equipment:

• Wok or Large Skillet

Instructions: 

1. In a small bowl whisk together the water and cornstarch to create a cornstarch slurry, set aside.
2. Prepare the popcorn chicken in the oven or air fryer following the directions on the back of the package, set aside.
3. In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil.
4. Once oil is hot, add the white part of the green onion, garlic, ginger, and optional chili flakes. Stir constantly and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
5. Add the water, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
6. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering , slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry while whisking constantly until thickened.
7. Immediately add the chicken and toss in the sauce until the chicken is coated and warmed through. Serve with the remaining green onion for garnish.

What is cornstarch slurry?

A cornstarch slurry is an easy way to thicken dishes such as a sauces, soups or stews. When adding cornstarch directly to the recipe clumping can occur. Making a slurry then adding it to your recipe will thicken it without clumping.

To make a cornstarch slurry simply combine equal parts cold liquid (usually water) and cornstarch. Mix whisk together until smooth and combined. 

Substitutions and Variations: 

Something Sweet: You can use honey in place of the sugar. Use ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey in place of the sugar. This will alter the flavor slightly of the overall dish so keep that in mind.

Ginger: Fresh Ginger is a necessary for this recipe. If you don’t want to buy a Ginger Root you can use minced Ginger that comes in a tube. You usually can find this in the refrigerator cases in the produce section of the grocery store. 

Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed juice is always best but you can used bottled lemon juice to make is easier if you want.

Add Some Spice: Add red pepper flakes to this lemon chicken so kick.

No Popcorn Chicken? No Problem: To do so, seasoned bite-sized pieces of chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss in cornstarch until well coated. Fry in ½ inch oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain on paper towels and fry the remaining chicken; proceed with the recipe as written.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: You can make this recipe with bite sized pieces of prepared chicken breasts. If using baked chicken skip step one and follow remaining instructions as stated. 

Serving Suggestions: 

Garnish Chinese Lemon Chicken with thinly sliced green onions and a little added lemon juice. Other ideas include:

• Fresh Lemon Wedges or Slices
• Lemon Zest
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Sesame seeds
• French’s Fried Onions 
• Fried Shallots

Storage:

Refrigerator: Store leftover lemon chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three to fives days.

Freezer: Cool chicken completely then place in an airtight container or zip top freezer bag for up to the three months. 

Thawing and Reheating: To thaw frozen chicken place in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a skillet and add a splash of water or chicken stock to loosen up the sauce. You can also reheat in the microwave in 45 second increments tossing the chicken then reheating for an additional 30 seconds until heated through. 

I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we do! If you do try this recipe please come back and leave a comment letting me know how much you liked it! 

Happy Cooking Y’all!

Susanne 

Still hungry? Follow New South Charm on Pinterest! for more recipe ideas!

Print

Easy Chinese Lemon Chicken

Easy Chinese Lemon Chicken is crisp on the outside and juicy and tender inside and tossed in a sweet and tangy lemon glaze. This restaurant quality take out classic is made easy with a my special take saving shortcut. This easy chicken recipe is sure to become a new family dinner favorite everyone will love!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Chinese Inspired

Keyword Chinese Lemon Chicken, Lemon Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 270 kcal

Susanne Susanne

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds cooked popcorn chicken
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 green onions thinly sliced, green part and white part separated²
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh ginger root minced or in a tube³
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed, or bottled
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes optional
• Cornstarch slurry 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked together

Instructions

1. Prepare the popcorn chicken in the oven per the directions on the back of the packaging and set aside.
2. In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, add the oil.
3. Once hot, add the white part of the green onion, garlic, ginger, and optional chili flakes. Stir constantly and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
4. Add the water, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
5. Bring to a simmer. Once at a simmer, slowly stream in the cornstarch slurry while whisking constantly until thickened.
6. Immediately add the chicken and toss in the sauce until the chicken is coated and warmed through. Serve with the remaining green onion for garnish.

Recipe Notes

1. Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.
2. Slice green onions thinly and separate the green tops from the thicker white bottoms of the onions.
3. If you don’t want to buy a Ginger Root you can use minced Ginger that comes in a tube. You usually can find this in the refrigerator cases in the produce section of the grocery store.
4. Skip the popcorn chicken and use a 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast. To do so, seasoned bite-sized pieces of chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss in cornstarch until well coated. Fry in ½ inch oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until lightly browned and an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain on paper towels and fry the remaining chicken; proceed with the recipe as written.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Chinese Lemon Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 270 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 58mg19%

Sodium 254mg11%

Potassium 194mg6%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 239IU5%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.