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.
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.
Related Recipes:
Made this recipe?
Please click on the stars below to rate it or, write a review!
*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.
If you don't already follow me, head over to my Instagram or Facebook pages to keep up to date with all my new recipes.
Vanya
Talia
I love this recipe, so good - could you substitute chicken for fish?
Vanya
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
My 9yr old son loves this dish it's really tasty and yummy.
Lu
Hi what type of soy sauce do you use
VJ cooks
I just use regular soy sauce, but you could use a light or salt reduced version if you prefer.
Cassy
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
Oh thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Cassy. I appreciate it! Yes, this recipe is a winner with my whole family too!
Wendy O'Brien
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
If that's your preference, absolutely.
Cheryl
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
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
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
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
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
I mean you could, the chicken will just be a little soggier than eating it fresh.
Polly Murray
I am going to make this for dinner tonight but I will use orange in place of lemon.
VJ cooks
Sounds delicious!
Kirsty
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
Hi V,
Do you still have the links for thermomix transfers?
Thanks!
Love your recipes
VJ cooks
No, I don't cook with a thermomix sorry.
Bronwen
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
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Bronwen. I'm so glad you enjoyed this meal, it's one of my favourites too 🙂
Anne-Marie
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
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