When life gives you lemons, skip the lemonade - make crispy AF Lemon Chicken! This crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken squeezes the sourest moments in life to make golden juicy chicken you won’t be able to get enough of!
Lemon chicken is a classic Chinese restaurant-style dish & my favoriteee way to enjoy lemons growing up lol. It’s sweet & zesty like Orange Chicken or my Air Fryer Orange Chicken, but my husband (Josh) and I actually prefer this more because it’s even brighter & more refreshing!
🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe
🥘 Ingredient Tips for Crispy Lemon Chicken
Before we whip out our lemon squeezers, you should know there’s two types of lemon chicken - the light & airy OR crispy CRONCHY. This is all personal preference & I prefer the latter because I loveee crispy chicken and this batter stays that way for hours!
Lightly battered chicken compliments the delicate fruity sauce, but it quickly loses its crispy texture. IF this is your preference though (no yucking your yum here!),The Woks of Life have a delicious version you could try!
Okay, now let’s get to the good stuff!
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Repeat after me - freshly squeezed juice only! Don’t be tempted to grab that pre-squeezed stuff. Sure, it’s convenient BUT it doesn’t taste as good. Plus, juicing only takes a few extra seconds - your lip-smackingly-good sauce depends on it!
- Potato Starch & Cornstarch: Using a mix of starches creates an EXTRA crispy crust on the chicken! Potato starch is easily found at local Asian markets or online - I don’t recommend skipping it because it creates a shatteringly crispy crust. The batter’s nowhere as crispy with cornstarch alone!
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs are muchhhh juicier than chicken breasts - and more forgiving than chicken breasts that can easily dry out. Cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Shaoxing Wine: This Chinese cooking wine helps tenderize the meat & enhances the flavors in sauces, like in my Beijing Beef, General Tso Chicken, or Sesame Chicken!.
- Soy Sauce: We’re using regular soy sauce (not light or low-sodium for its saltiness & oooomami.
- Sesame Oil: This is a seasoning oil, not a cooking/frying oil! A little goes a long way to finish off the dish with that classic subtle nuttiness known in Chinese dishes.
- Neutral High-Smoke Point Oil: Since we’re deep frying, high-smoke point oils are key - think grapeseed oil, canola, vegetable, peanut, or avocado oil. Avoid frying in low-smoke point or flavored oil like olive or sesame oil. Your smoke detectors will thank you 😉
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Lemon Chicken
Marinate & Dredge
Step 1: Marinade Chicken. In a large bowl or airtight container, combine the diced chicken thighs, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, & baking soda.
Massage it together until the marinade is fully absorbed, then keep it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight in the fridge.
psssst keep cold in the fridge until you’re ready to dredge & fry.
Step 2: Dredge Chicken. In a big bowl or plate, combine potato starch, cornstarch, and a few tablespoons of water drizzled in. Use your hands to mix & create crumbly nuggets - this is key to exxxtra crispy chicken!
Remove chicken from the fridge, mix in an egg & all-purpose flour until JUST combined. Don’t overmix, otherwise, the batter will turn tough or gummy. Neither is an appetizing way to describe fried chicken lol.
Drop a few chicken pieces at a time into that craggily dredge and press it on every nook and cranny. Shake off excess starch, then let the chicken chill for 5-10 minutes while preheating the frying oil.
Cook Chicken
Step 3: Fry then Double Fry.
In a medium pot, heat enough oil for a deep fry on medium-high heat. Once it’s hot enough for a wooden chopstick or spoon to sizzle, drop the chicken in batches.
Avoid overcrowding, otherwise, your chicken will take longer to cook & won’t turn crunchy! Fry for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown with small oil bubbles. BTW these oil splatter screens are theeee best for easy cleanup!
Remove & drain chicken on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Turn off the heat, & let them rest for about 10 minutes. Skim off any floating starch, then double fry for about 1 minute, until extra golden brown with tiny oil bubbles. Remove, drain excess oil, & set chicken aside.
Make Sauce & Toss
Make the lemon sauce in a small bowl by whisking lemon juice, water, sugar, Shaoxing wine, chicken bouillon, & salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water, then set aside.
Heat a large pan or skillet, saute with ginger & garlic for a few seconds, then pour in the lemon sauce ingredients. Once it starts to simmer, whisk in the cornstarch slurry & cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it’s your desired consistency.
Turn off the heat & toss in the chicken until every nook & cranny is covered! Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onions, & lemon slices or lemon wedges if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy your crispy lemon chicken with Egg Fried Rice or Shrimp Lo Mein with a side of Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Keep Chicken Cold Until Dredging: The cold battered chicken hitting the piping hot oil creates a superrr crispy crust! So, don’t let the chicken sit out at room temp until you’re ready to dredge & fry.
- Rest Chicken After Dredging: This quick resting period helps keep the starches on the chicken instead of flaking off while frying! You’ll get crispier chicken & less cleanup in the pot - winner winner, chicken dinner!
- Rest Chicken Before Second Fry: A second rest, really?! YES. If you want juicy chicken, the rest before the second fry is a MUST! This gives the chicken time to redistribute its juices, so if you fry right away, you risk hockey puck chicken. Also, you could make it ahead of time & second fry right before serving!
- Fry in Small Batches: If the pot gets overcrowded, the oil temperature will drop, the chicken will take longer to cook, AND won’t be very crispy. It’s the recipe for epic disappointment. An easy rule of thumb is that you should be able to see the bottom of the pot!
💭 Recipe FAQs
Lemon chicken is best enjoyed fresh for peak crispiness! Reheating leftovers will caramelize & infuse the sauce into the chicken. It’ll still be good, but just keep in mind the flavor and texture will be different.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 380 degrees for 3-5 minutes, or until warm.
You can make parts of the lemon chicken ahead of time to make life easier!
Prep & cook the chicken up until the first fry. Whisk together the lemon sauce & store it separately. Right before serving, do the second fry, cook the sauce, & toss together!
No, don’t do it! Sure, it’s convenient but the flavor isn’t the same! And since lemon is 50% the star of the dish, it’s TOTALLY worth the extra few seconds to juice fresh lemons.
Lemon chicken thighs are the way to go here because they’re just juicier than chicken breasts!
🥗 What to Serve with Chinese Lemon Chicken
Put down the food delivery app & make Asian Takeout at home! Serve your crispy lemon chicken with succulent Shrimp Fried Rice or Pork Lo Mein. And don’t forget the creamy Honey Walnut Shrimp or crispy Sesame Balls!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
MARINADE:
- 1 pound chicken thighs sliced into 1-inch pieces
- I/2 teaspoon ginger grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
SAUCE:
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice not bottled
- ¼ water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated
DREDGE:
- ⅓ cup potato starch
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour or cornstarch
GARNISHES (OPTIONAL):
- Lemon slices
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large bowl or airtight container, combine cut chicken thighs, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, and baking soda. Massage the marinade into the chicken until it’s fully absorbed, then cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Keep the chicken cold in the fridge until the dredge is ready.
- In a small bowl whisk together the sauce - lemon juice, water, sugar, Shaoxing wine, chicken bouillon, & salt. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water, then set aside.
- Make the dredge in a large bowl by combining potato starch and cornstarch. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of water into the starch mixture at a time, then use your fingers to mix & crumble the water into the starch, creating crumbles in the dredge - this is what will make the chicken extra crispy! Repeat for the rest of the water - refer to the blog post above for ideal dredge texture.
- Remove chicken from the fridge, add the egg and all-purpose flour directly into the marinated chicken, then mix until just combined. Add a few pieces of chicken into the dredge & press or scrunch the dredge onto the chicken! Once all the chicken is dredged, rest chicken for 10-15 minutes to absorb some of the dredge so it really sticks!
- In the meantime, heat a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat with enough oil to deep fry. You’ll know it’s hot when you add a wooden chopstick or spoon & it starts to sizzle. Add chicken in batches - don’t overcrowd otherwise your chicken won’t turn crispy! Use tongs or slotted spoon to gently separate the chicken so they don’t stick together. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. You’ll also notice the oil bubbles are calmer & a lot smaller. Remove & drain chicken on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Turn off heat & rest chicken for 15-20 minutes.
- Double-Fry: Reheat pot of oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken back in batches to prevent overcrowding. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until oil bubbles are calmer & a lot smaller, and chicken is extra crispy. Remove & drain chicken on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Turn off heat
- Heat a large pan on medium heat with about a tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few seconds, until they’re soft and fragrant. Pour in the sauce mixture and heat for about 1 minute, or until it starts to bubble. Mix the cornstarch slurry again in case the cornstarch settled to the bottom, then pour it into the sauce. Continuously stir so the cornstarch doesn’t clump. Cook for about another 2-3 minutes, or until it’s your desired consistency. Turn off the heat.
- Toss chicken into the sauce & continue to mx until the chicken is well coated. Remove & garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, & lemon slices if you’re feeling fancy, then enjoy!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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