Easy healthy Sticky Chinese Lemon Chicken with a sticky lemon honey and garlic sauce is a tasty, better than takeout, 30 minute meal!
If you love this better-than-takeout meal, you’ve gotta try Kung Pao Noodles, Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken, and One Sheet Pan Chicken Fried Rice.
Last weekend we met up with my in-laws for dinner at a Chinese restaurant in the town where my husband I grew up. This restaurant is pretty good. But people go NUTS for this place. I kind of think it’s because there’s only two main Chinese restaurants in the area and the other one (where I happened to work all through high school) is right next to the freeway and a little bit farther out of the way than this place.
Like I said, it’s pretty good, they have some decent dishes and their honey walnut shrimp is darn tasty, but my husband has a co-worker who flies his clients in from out of state to have dinner at this place and I swear to you it really is good, but it’s not that good. And when it comes to takeout, I’d much rather whip up something at home than buy a plane ticket to fly two states away to get myself a bowl of walnut shrimp or general tsao’s.
This sticky Chinese lemon chicken is easily as good as any restaurant version and you can make it happen in just 30 minutes in the comfort of your slippers in your very own kitchen – no crazy ingredients or special tools needed, and definitely no plane ticket needed. The sauce is sweet and tangy and sticky lemon garlic heaven.
I’ve come to really love using chicken tenderloins for my Asian takeout dishes, but chicken breasts also work! To get the right crispy outside to juicy inside ratio, just be sure to cut your chicken into 1 inch pieces or even a little bit smaller. Too big and it takes too long to cook through and the breading will get overcooked. Other than that, this recipe is foolproof! You’re gonna love this easy better-than-takeout dish!
What people are saying about this Sticky Chinese Lemon Chicken
“I just made this and can hardly wait to eat this evening, even tho I stole a few tastes just now. Good flavor and better than take-out!” – Jeneen
“Just made this. I absolutely loved it! So flavorful! My family thought it was too lemony so, although I thought it was just right, next time I will use less lemon for them. So very GOOD. Thanks for the recipe!” – Schellie
“Mine was a triumph. As good as any Chinese restaurant or takeaway and much cheaper too. Grateful for the recipe and will definitely repeat.” – Julia
Sticky Chinese Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds chicken tenderloin
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup white cooking wine - or chicken broth
- ⅓ cup corn starch
- ½ cup vegetable oil - or canola oil
Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- juice of 2 lemons - (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon salt - or to taste
- 4 tablespoons cold chicken broth - or water
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds - for garnish
- cooked white, brown, or fried rice for serving - https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/best-fried-rice/
Instructions
- Chop chicken into 1 inch pieces. Whisk together eggs, soy sauce, and cooking wine or broth. Add chicken and stir to combine. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. (see note)
- Transfer chicken pieces to a large ziplock bag and discard marinade. Add corn starch to bag, seal, and shake to coat chicken completely in the corn starch.
- Add oil to a large pan or skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Transfer chicken to pan, trying to arrange pieces so they aren’t piled on top of each other. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a paper-towel lined plate. Discard any excess oil in the pan and use a paper towel to wipe it out.
- Add broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, honey, and salt to pan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- In a small bowl whisk together broth (or water) and corn starch until dissolved. Add to boiling sauce, then reduce heat to medium-low and stir until thickened.
- Transfer chicken to pan and stir 2-3 minutes until hot throughout. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions and serve over cooked rice.
I Used the sauce on store bought popcorn chicken in an effort to make the popcorn chicken edible. Turned out great! Would be even better with “real” chicken, I’m sure ;). I used 1 tbsp brown sugar instead of the sugar called for in the recipe, since my family doesn’t like overly sweet foods. Tasted just like it came from a Chinese restaurant (maybe better). This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Yesss!! Great thinking with the store bought popcorn chicken. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right?! 😉
Oops! Sorry, I meant to post this comment on a different lemon chicken recipe (I had more than one window open). This recipe has way too much soy sauce. The only way it might work is if you’re using Kikoman’s reduced sodium soy sauce. This is too much of the standard dark soy, at least what’s sold in North America (I use Bragg’s). This recipe could also use some fresh ginger in the sauce. I feel really bad taking back my good comment, but I couldn’t leave it in good conscience. I STARTed to make this sauce again today, but after adding the broth and soy sauce to the pan, I thought it seemed LIKE a lot. Good thing I tasted it before I added the chicken or it would have been inedible. Had to throw out the sauce and start over with the other recipe.
In the pictures you have little slices of lemon everywhere. Is that just a garnish to make the pics look yummy? I don’t see any mention of adding sliced lemon to the recipe, but it looks good…
Correct- it was just used as a garnish/for pictures. Not required- but is a delicious addition 😉
I make this dish over and over , i have to make double!
So glad you enjoy this recipe, Sarah!
Are the measurements in the ingredients section separate to the ones in the sauce section?
The lemon sauce chicken dish you share is very delicious and novel. Very meticulous instructions. I love this dish.
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