Chinese Lemon Chicken

This Chinese Lemon Chicken will have you ditch your favorite takeout! Tender chicken pieces are coated and fried, smothered in homemade honey lemon sauce and garnished with sesame seeds, sliced lemon, and chopped green onions.

This one-pan Chinese lemon chicken recipe combines tender pieces of fried chicken in a sticky, tangy, and sweet homemade honey lemon sauce – perfect for serving over sticky rice or noodles as a comforting dinner.

If you love Chinese-inspired food, such as orange chicken or General Tso’s chicken, then this Chinese lemon chicken recipe is a must-try! Save yourself the expense of takeout and serve this delicious Chinese chicken to the family in just 25 minutes.

🌟 WHY I LOVE CHINESE LEMON CHICKEN

This honey sesame chicken recipe will satisfy those Chinese takeout cravings without the expense.

It pairs well with a variety of side dishes, including sticky white rice or freshly steamed noodles.

Whip up this wholesome honey sesame chicken recipe is under 30 minutes from start to finish. Great for those busy weeknight dinners!

Making the honey lemon sauce ensures maximum flavor in this dish and gives you full control of the ingredients used for a healthier alternative to store-bought sauce.

🍽 KEY INGREDIENTS

Chicken breast – Cut into 1-inch even pieces.

Honey lemon sauce – This consists of minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, lemon juice, and honey.

Garnish – Sesame seeds, lemon slices, and chopped green onions.

Swaps

Flour coating – I’ve used cornstarch for coating the chicken pieces, but you could use regular flour instead, if you prefer.

Seasoning – The seasoning in the flour mixture is very simple with just salt and black pepper. Feel free to add a kick of heat by including some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.

Chicken breast – Skinless boneless chicken thighs can be used instead if you prefer a cut of chicken with more fat content for greater flavor.

🥣 EQUIPMENT

You’ll need a large non-stick skillet and mixing bowls.

🔪 HOW TO MAKE

Chinese lemon chicken combines simple ingredients and flavors for a homemade Chinese-inspired dish that’ll save you from the expense of takeout! Here are my easy steps that anyone can follow:

Preparations

Prepare the ingredients and heat the non-stick skillet with oil over medium high heat.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1
Coat the chicken pieces in the beaten egg.

Step 2
Combine the cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow bowl. Add the chicken and press to coat.

Step 3
Add the coated chicken pieces to the heated skillet and fry for about 6-7 minutes, or until both sides are golden and cooked on each side.

Transfer the fried chicken pieces to a sheet of paper towel and drain any excess fat and juice from the skillet. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet.

Step 4
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Step 5
Add the sauce to the skillet with the chicken pieces and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Allow the sauce to thicken and stir to coat the chicken.

Remove the skillet from the heat and garnish with sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and sliced lemons.

💭 COOKING TIPS

Cut the chicken into uniform-sized pieces so that they cook at an even rate.

It’s important to use a large enough skillet for frying the chicken pieces so that they get a delicious crispy finish when coated in the egg and flour mixture instead of steaming.

Drain the skillet of any excess fat or juice from frying the chicken before adding the chicken back with the lemon honey sauce. If you don’t, you risk the sauce being thin and runny.

🥗 WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHINESE LEMON CHICKEN

Rice & Noodles

Serve this Chinese lemon honey chicken over Instant Pot Basmati Rice or freshly steamed noodles with extra lemon honey sauce drizzled over or served on the side.

Sides

Serve this Chinese lemon chicken alongside other Asian-inspired side dish recipes, such as air fryer egg rolls, peanut noodle salad, Kung Pao cauliflower, egg roll in a bowl, or air fryer broccolini.

🙋 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

🧊 STORING AND ♨️ REHEATING

FRIDGE

Store leftover Chinese chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

FREEZER

This Chinese lemon chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or in a pan over medium heat until heated through.

REHEAT

Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until heated through.

🍳 MORE ASIAN-INSPIRED MEALS

• Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
• Slow Cooker Korean Beef
• Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
• Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl

👪 SERVING SIZE

This Chinese lemon chicken recipe yields 4 servings. You can halve the ingredients if you only want to make this for two people or double it for a larger crowd.

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📋 RECIPE