Lemon Chicken is a classic dish at any Chinese restaurant that everyone loves, but somehow the sauce always ends up tasting just like sweet sauce. This recipe combines the crispiness of double-fried chicken with a well balanced, tangy and refreshing lemon sauce that is better than most restaurants, and kids will love it too (especially if they like sour sweets 😊)!
This Crispy Lemon Chicken is covered in a vibrant lemon sauce that oozes citrusy goodness. The freshly squeezed lemon juice, combined with sugar, water, and a hint of cornstarch, creates a tantalizing sauce that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. And as a pro tip, microwaving the lemon not only eases the juicing process (also much easier using a fork!) but also intensifies the citrus aroma.
The frying batter is a mixture of plain flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, water, and cooking oil, which results in a pancake-consistency batter that enrobes the marinated chicken, ensuring a satisfying crunch with every bite. The plain flour can be adjusted if you can’t achieve the right consistency.
The art of achieving the perfect crispiness involves double-frying. After the initial fry to golden-brown, a second round in the hot oil takes the chicken to new heights of crispiness. This process ensures that each piece boasts an irresistible crust, and is best eaten while it’s freshly fried.
As the golden chicken emerges from its second fry, it is time for the grand finale — the union of the crispy delight with the luscious lemon sauce. The lemon sauce is brought to a boil, coating the chicken with that lemony goodness. A garnish of sesame seeds adds a final touch of visual flair.
Crispy Lemon Chicken is a succulent chicken with delicious zesty lemon sauce, perfect for any family meal that kids and adults will both love. Just remember to eat it fast while it’s freshly served! So let’s get to it!
Watch How To Make It
Crispy Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breast
Marinade
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp sugar
- 0.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 0.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 0.5 tbsp water
- 1 egg
- some pepper
Lemon Sauce
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2.5 tbsp water
- 0.5 tsp cornstarch
Frying Batter
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp water
- 0.5 tsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into strips of almost equal sizes. Put it in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Mix them together.
- Make the lemon sauce by cutting the lemon into half and squeezing it into a small bowl. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Taste and add sugar to adjust to taste.Pro Tip: Microwave the lemon for 25 seconds, to squeeze more lemon juice out. The heat will break the pulp and make the squeezing much easier.
- Make the frying batter with the ingredients. You should get a pancake consistency. Add plain flour if the batter runs too quickly.
- Add oil into a pot and turn the heat high. While waiting for the oil to heat up, add the batter to the marinated chicken and mix well.
- When the oil is hot enough (test it with chopsticks, there should be bubbles around it), add the chicken piece by piece. Let the chicken cook until it turns golden brown, this should take about 3 minutes. Scoop up the chicken and set it aside. Repeat in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot.
- Increase the heat to high and fry the chicken a second time for that extra crispy crust, then set the chicken aside.
- Heat up oil in a pan on medium heat and pour the lemon sauce in. Bring it to a boil, then off the heat. Pour in the fried chicken and coat it well.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve it while it’s hot!