Crispy, sticky lemon chicken served with steamed rice and vegetables. A lighter version of the popular takeaway dish.
You'll be amazed at just how easy it is to make my Sticky Lemon Chicken. In the time it would take you to head out to your local takeaways and order, you could already be eating this delicious dinner. For a twist on this classic, be sure to also check out my Sticky Orange Chicken Thighs.
Chicken breasts or thighs both work well in this recipe. I go for boneless cuts as they are easier to dice, but feel free to use bone in if you're happy to cut around them! I only use a couple of tablespoons of oil to fry the chicken. This makes it a lot healthier than deep fried versions. Plus you still get a lovely crispy coating.
How to make Lemon Chicken:
Cut your boneless chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add ½ a cup of cornflour (first measurement) and mix until it has coated all the chicken pieces. Add the egg and mix everything together.
In a separate bowl, add the lemon juice, brown sugar, honey, garlic, soy sauce and chicken stock. Whisk to combine. Next, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry in batches until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
Wipe the excess oil from the pan, then add the lemon sauce mixture and simmer for two minutes. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour (second measurement) with water until dissolved, then add to sauce. Once it starts to thicken, add the crispy chicken and coat it in the sauce. Serve with steamed rice and vegetables and sprinkle sesame seeds and spring onion on top.
If quick chicken dinners are your cup of tea, be sure to check out these easy recipes for Tuscan Chicken, Quick Teriyaki Chicken Bowls, Chicken Stir Fry and Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Salad.
Recipe FAQs:
Whatever you like! I like to serve mine with a side of broccoli or green beans. But you could use bok choy, carrot, cauliflower, capsicum, onion, or a combination of whatever you have in the freezer.
It is. When served immediately, the chicken remains crispy and gooey at the same time. I would not recommend freezing this meal.
Storage:
Store any leftover lemon chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two. Bear in mind that the longer the chicken sits in the sauce the less crispy it will be.
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*DISCLAIMER*
If you are coeliac, or cooking for someone who is, please ensure you make the necessary substitutions to ensure this recipe meets your dietary requirements. Be sure to check the labels on all your processed food, including sauce bottles, to make sure they are gluten free.
Lemon Chicken
Crispy, sticky lemon chicken served with steamed rice and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 600g boneless chicken thigh or breast
- 1⁄2 cup cornflour (1st measurement)*
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 75ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp garlic, crushed
- 1⁄4 cup soy sauce*
- 1⁄2 cup chicken stock*
- 1 Tbsp cornflour (2nd measurement)*
- 50ml water
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- Steamed greens and rice to serve
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and add to a large bowl.
- Coat chicken in ½ a cup of cornflour (first measurement) then add the egg and mix together. Set aside while you make the lemon sauce.
- Add lemon juice, brown sugar, honey, garlic, soy sauce and chicken stock to a bowl and whisk together.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Add chicken pieces and fry in batches until crispy on both sides. Remove from frying pan and set aside.
- Wipe the excess oil out of the frying pan. Add lemon sauce mixture and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour (second measurement) with 50ml water until dissolved then add to the sauce.
- Once it starts to thicken, add the crispy chicken. Coat it in the sticky lemon sauce.
- Sprinkle over spring onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with hot rice and steamed green vegetables.
Notes
* If you are coeliac or cooking for someone who is, please ensure you make the necessary substitutions to ensure these recipes meet your dietary requirements. As always, be sure to check the labels on all your processed food including sauce bottles to make sure they are gluten free.
- Use a combination of your favourite seasonal or frozen veggies to serve.
- Serve with white rice, brown rice or rice noodles.
- If you find the sauce too sour use less lemon juice or add a tablespoon more of brown sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 474Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 230mgSodium: 1217mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 15gProtein: 43g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Talia says
I love this recipe, so good - could you substitute chicken for fish?
Vanya says
Yeah I think so, you would have to use a firm white fish and just be careful when you are frying it so it doesn't break up.
Joanne says
My 9yr old son loves this dish it's really tasty and yummy.
Lu says
Hi what type of soy sauce do you use
VJ cooks says
I just use regular soy sauce, but you could use a light or salt reduced version if you prefer.
Olivia Coburn says
Yes
Cassy says
I don’t normally leave comments for recipes I’ve cooked but I just had to for this one because OMG it was so amazingly delicious! The kids loved it, it tasted just like the sticky lemon chicken you’d get from the takeaway shop but so much healthier. Will definitely be making this again!
VJ cooks says
Oh thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Cassy. I appreciate it! Yes, this recipe is a winner with my whole family too!
Craig Still says
4 years later LOL, if you cook fish you will know what to use and what to do with it. I am using this lemon sauce for cheap Woolworth chicken schnitzel , no reason it can't be used for fish. That's a good idea.
Wendy O'Brien says
I made this for dinner tonight, was very tasty and the chicken was nice and crispy (before I added it to the sauce) but I found the soy sauce made the sauce very dark, can this be cut back and maybe more stock added?
VJ cooks says
If that's your preference, absolutely.
Cheryl says
Agree. There was something I didn't like about the sauce and we agreed to cut back on the soy next time. It was a dark sauce and tasted nothing like the takeaway Asian dish which was what I was expecting.
VJ cooks says
With an overall rating of 4.6 from over 229 reviews I must be doing something right! But if this isn't for you, feel free to make another recipe 🙂
Tahlia says
Not good. Not what I wanted at all. Taste nothing like the takeaway stuff and also the sauce came out very dark. Quite disappointed. Will continue to look for a yummy lemon chicken recipe. But this is not it.
VJ cooks says
Hi Tahlia, sorry to hear this wasn't what you were after. If you leave the sauce for too long it will darken up over time. All the best.
Lisa Taylor says
Love this recipe it tastes amazing. One thing I don't understand is why I can't freeze and reheat on my busy days when I'm too tired to cook.?
Thankyou
VJ cooks says
I mean you could, the chicken will just be a little soggier than eating it fresh.
Polly Murray says
I am going to make this for dinner tonight but I will use orange in place of lemon.
VJ cooks says
Sounds delicious!
Kirsty says
Yum! Made this for the family tonight and it was loved by all. The lemon sauce was very flavorsome. Only thing was I cooked up the chicken and it was crispy but when I added the chicken back to the sauce the crispy bits disappeared. It didn't affect the dish. Still yummy.
Ash says
Hi V,
Do you still have the links for thermomix transfers?
Thanks!
Love your recipes
VJ cooks says
No, I don't cook with a thermomix sorry.
Bronwen says
This was great! Just made it for Sunday dinner with enough leftover for lunch tomorrow. Quick and easy and restaurant quality! Will definitely make again for friends:)
VJ cooks says
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Bronwen. I'm so glad you enjoyed this meal, it's one of my favourites too 🙂
Anne-Marie says
Very easy and yum!!! Completely forgot the egg so chicken cooked just with cornflour. Still crisped up a bit and was fine. Thanks for another awesome idea
Carolyn says
Vanya your lemon chicken was delicious and i was thinking, it reminds me a bit of bang bang chicken in the prep and to save time you could use drums and pour the sauce over the chook and cook
Teri says
Recipe sounded great. Wondering what I did wrong. It had an overwhelming metallic taste, I’m assuming it came from the cornstarch.
I’ve never encountered this before.
VJ cooks says
Sorry to hear that. A few things come to mind. 1) Acidic reaction with a reactive pan (aluminium or low grade stainless steel) vs a non reactive pan (enamel coated, ceramic, non-stick, high quality stainless steel). 2) The quality of your cornflour - if it is old or from a lower-quality brand it can have an odd after taste. 3) Soy sauce - some soy sauces (especially low-quality or "light" supermarket brands) have metallic or chemical aftertastes, especially when cooked with acid.
Heather says
Hi VJ, is the chicken stock liquid or powder please? I'm making this recipe tonight but unsure what stock to use. Thank you.
VJ cooks says
Liquid! I made mine using boiling water and a stock cube.
Jenny says
Made this tonight was delicious exactly what I hoped it would be like. Thanks so much for the recipe.
VJ cooks says
Awesome, thanks so much for the feeback, Jenny.
Kira says
This was delicious. I've been making a lot of lemon chicken type recipes lately (had a craving!) and this one was by far the quickest and easiest without sacrificing taste. I'll be making it often and I wouldn't change a thing.
VJ cooks says
Oh that's awesome. Thanks so much for the feedback, Kira!
Karen says
Easy to make and delicious to eat; will def make again!
Love your recipes
VJ cooks says
Thanks for your support, Karen!
Tessa says
I’m not one to leave comments but I made this for dinner last night and it was incredible! So delicious and tasty - the whole family loved it and it was so easy to make. Thank you
VJ cooks says
Thanks, Tessa! So pleased to hear you all enjoyed it 🙂
Elizabeth Dennis says
This very tasty but my chicken didn’t stay crispy at all. Still yum
Eileen says
Made this for dinner, it was delicious, however I couldn’t get the chicken to crisp up for some reason. But quick, easy and very tasty!
VJ cooks says
The chicken is the most crispy immediately after frying. When you add it back to the sauce it can lose some of its crispiness. If you want, you can cook the sauce separately and pour it over the chicken just before serving.
Ameria says
Kia ora Vanya!
I have had your website bookmarked for a good few years, always come back here when I need something and tonight I need to know what to do with diced chicken breast lol it's only 400g cause blimin countdown changed their 3 for $20 meat from 500g to 400g ♀️ wanted to try this but realized i have no lemons or honey so hope it still tastes alright. Also wanted to look at the kaarage chicken I'm pretty sure I saw on here wish us luck
Lesley says
Just saw this recipe, Can I use maple syrup instead of Honey as I have several family members severly alergic to Honey
VJ cooks says
Yes that would be fine.