lemon chicken is a flavorful meal that only requires a handful of ingredients!
Tender pieces of chicken are pan fried and tossed in a simple tangy-sweet lemon sauce. The taste of fresh lemon is unbeatable. Serve this over rice for the perfect weeknight dinner.
tenderize the chicken
Have you ever eaten a stir fry and wondered how the meat gets so damn tender? Most often it is due to a technique called velvet.
Meat (beef or chicken) is marinated in a combination of egg white, cornstarch, oil, and often other additives like vinegar. Cornstarch is a natural tenderizer (and is used in this recipe as well as many other stir-fries and even Mongolian beef)!
How to make Lemon Chicken
This easy chicken recipe is ready in just 3 easy steps!
- Dice the chicken breast and mix with the egg mixture (see recipe below). Refrigerate while the sauce is being prepared.
- Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown.
- Add the sauce and cook until thick and bubbly. Season with chicken and serve.
Pour the sauce directly on top if you’re in a hurry, but I like to remove the chicken from the pan, deglaze the pan with the sauce, then add the chicken back in.
Garnish with lemon slices, spring onions or chives and sesame seeds.
Top: For easy slicing, freeze the chicken about 15 minutes before slicing, if time permits (or slice while it’s not fully thawed).
It goes great with fresh veggies like sesame bok choy or just steamed broccoli.
leftovers
Lemon Chicken is a great dish that you can make ahead of time or make a double batch so you have plenty of leftovers. It keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days for an easy lunch!
Better than take away meals
lemon chicken
This easy lemon recipe is a sweet, savory favorite that comes together in under an hour!
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In a bowl, combine chicken with egg, cornstarch and soy sauce. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
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In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce.
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In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from egg mixture and drain excess egg. Discard the marinade.
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Add chicken in batches to skillet and stir-fry, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
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Give the sauce a good stir to ensure the cornstarch is fully incorporated. Pour it into the pan with the chicken. Let simmer over low heat until thickened, about 3-4 minutes
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Garnish with sesame seeds, thinly sliced spring onions and lemon wedges, if you like.
Chicken: For ease of use, place the chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing (optional). Chicken thighs work well in this recipe.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice works best for this recipe. If using fresh lemon, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest to the sauce to enhance the lemon flavor.
Vegetables: Vegetables can be added to this chicken, asparagus or green beans are great options. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Clean the vegetables and add them to the pan. Stir-fry them for a few minutes until tender and crispy. Add the chicken and sauce and continue cooking as directed.
For a crispy chicken, marinated chicken can be dusted with cornstarch and fried in small batches at 350°F for 4-5 minutes. Thicken sauce and toss with chicken.
Calories: 258 | Carbohydrates: 22G | Protein: 27G | Fat: 6G | Saturated Fatty Acids: 1G | Polyunsaturated fat: 2G | Monounsaturated fatty acids: 2G | Trans fats: 0.03G | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 0.2G | Sugar: 13G | Vitamin A: 95ie | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information given is an estimate and will vary depending on cooking method and brand of ingredients used.
course Chicken main course
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