This is my newly developed Chinese lemon chicken recipe that has been well tested. The goal is to create a method with chicken that is crispy even after being doused with the sauce, and the outstanding lemon flavor lingers on your palate.

Although there are many restaurants that served excellent Chinese lemon chicken, some regrettably fall short of being excellent. The chicken is drenched in a pool of sauce which immediately turns soggy. Some are cooked with a gooey cornstarch sauce with hardly noticeable lemon flavor.

This recipe has addressed these shortcomings, which you will expect:

The chicken will stay crispy.
The flavor of lemon came through sharply.
The meat is flavorful inside out, not just on the surface.

Let’s look at the detail of each ingredient, followed by the method of preparing the Chinese style lemon chicken.

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The key ingredients for Chinese lemon chicken

Chicken: breast versus thigh meat

You can use either chicken breast or thigh meat for the Chinese lemon chicken. Cut the chicken breast into boneless bite-size, either with the skin on or removed.

Asian prefers chicken thigh over breast meat. Some chefs like to leave the bone on as well and cut the chicken into small chunks. Again, this is entirely up to you.

Corn flour versus plain flour

Cornflour is included in the marinade, the flour mix for coating the chicken, and as the thickening agent for the sauce.

The purpose of adding cornflour to the marinate is to pre-coat the chicken. Since the dry coating mix may not be able to coat the entire piece of chicken. Therefore, adding cornflour to the marinade will let the flour coat evenly on the chicken, and prevent it from turning dry and hard.

Cornflour is a significant component of the dry coating mix for the chicken. Cornflour can create a crispy crust, which will stay crisp even after drizzling with the lemon sauce.

Plain flour is used as part of the dry coating mix together with the cornflour.

Plain flour alone will not create a coating that stays crispy for a long time. On the other hand, cornflour alone will form a hardened coating. The combination of cornflour and plain flour produces an excellent mix to create a crispy and airy crust.

Soy sauce

Light soy sauce is used as I want to keep the color of the chicken light and golden brown. Soy sauce has its own umani which enhances the flavor of any food.

Egg white

The purpose of egg white in the marinade is similar to the egg in the western standard coating (flour, egg, breadcrumb). It adds flavor and protects the meat from drying out during deep-frying.

Lemon

Both lemon juice and the zest should be used in the recipe.

Lemon zest is the orange color part of the lemon skin. It contains the essential oil that contributes to the aromatic lemon flavor.

The pith of the lemon (the white color part of the lemon skin) is bitter and should not be used. Zest the top layer of the peel only.

On the other hand, lemon juice is acidic (mainly citric acid and malic acid) and has its own flavor.

The sauce should include the juice and the zest, as they provide different flavors. If you want to add a pop to the sauce, use more lemon juice that will enliven your palate.

Honey

Honey balances the sourness of the lemon juice. You may want to use sugar and molasses for the same reason. I like to use honey because of its flavor.

How to cook the Chinese lemon chicken

There are three simple steps for this recipe:

Step one – Marinate the chicken

Marinating will let the flavor of the seasonings penetrate deep into the meat. This is an essential step to ensure the inner part of the chicken is equally flavorful since the sauce only covers the surface. Marinate to ensure every bite is tasty even for the chicken chunks.

Cut the chicken (breast or thigh meat) into bite-size if it is boneless, and small chunks if it is bone-in.

Add the cornflour, soy sauce, ground white pepper, and some Shaoxing wine. Combine all the ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl. Cover with cling film or store in a container with a lid. Marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Step two – Coating the chicken for deep frying

Marinating the chicken should be done in advance. However, it is best to coat the chicken with the dry coating mix just before deep frying.

Combine the dry coating mix with the chicken pieces. Add some if it is insufficient to cover all the chicken. Any excess will fall off the chicken.

Shake off the excess flour. Deep-fried in hot oil at 180°C/350°F for four minutes for the bite-size meat or six minutes for the small chunks with bone. The endpoint is when the color turns golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the oil and set it aside.

The composition of the flour mix varies, but below is my favorite

• 100g of plain flour
• 100g of cornflour
• 1g of salt
• 4g of baking powder

This is my secret combination which works beautifully for most of my Chinese deep-frying dishes.

The baking powder lightens the structure of the coating, making it airier and less dense.
The salt helps to improve the flavor, especially those part of the chicken that is not drizzled with the lemon sauce.

Step 3- Making the sauce.

The sauce has a combination of the sweetness of honey, the sharpness of the juice, and the aroma from the zest. Drizzle on the chicken, and it is ready to serve.

Adding the sauce by following these steps:

• Boil the sugar, water, and cornstarch over low heat in a small pot or saucepan. Remove it from heat once the sugar is dissolved, the sauce thickens and turns translucent.
• Set aside until it returns to room temperature.
• Add the lemon juice and zest. Mix well. Place the chicken on a large piece of lettuce.
• Drizzle the sauce on the chicken. Garnish with roasted white sesame and cut scallion.

7 Tips to make the best Chinese lemon chicken

Below is the summary of what you should pay attention to succeed in this recipe:

1. Marinating the chicken is an integral part of the preparation which should not be omitted.
2. Dry coating yields a more crispy crust than batter.
3. The inclusion of cornflour in the flour mix yields a long-lasting crunchy crust.
4. Add some baking powder to the coating mixture to make it airier.
5. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice only AFTER the sugar/cornflour mixture of the sauce is at room temperature. This method can ensure the sharp flavor and aroma of the lemon are not lost.
6. Do not be ‘greedy’ when you zest the lemon. The sauce will become bitter even if a small amount of pith (the white part of the peel) is present.
7. Drizzle the sauce onto the chicken, NOT coating the sauce with the chicken in the wok, as this redundant step wet the chicken too much, which will cause the chicken to lose its crunchiness.
8. Enhance the flavor and appearance with some cut scallion and roasted white sesame seeds.