Lemon Chicken is a flavorful meal that needs just a handful of ingredients!
Tender chunks of chicken are pan-fried and tossed in a simple tangy-sweet lemon sauce. You can’t beat the flavor of fresh lemon. Serve this over rice for the perfect weeknight dinner.
To Make Chicken Tender
Have you ever had a stir-fry and wondered how the get the meat so darn tender? Most often it’s due to a technique called velveting.
Meat (beef or chicken) is marinated in a combination of egg white, cornstarch, oil, and often other additives like vinegar. Cornstarch is a natural tenderizer (and used in this recipe as well as many other stir fry favorites and even Mongolian Beef)!
How To Make Lemon Chicken
This easy chicken recipe is ready in just 3 simple steps!
- Dice chicken breasts and toss with egg mixture (per recipe below). Refrigerate while making the sauce.
- Stir fry the chicken in batches until golden brown.
- Add the sauce and cook until thick and bubbly. Toss with chicken and serve.
Pour the sauce right over if you are in a hurry, but I like to remove the chicken from the pan, deglaze the pan using the sauce, then add the chicken back in.
Garnish with lemon slices, green onion or chives and sesame seeds.
Tip: For easy cutting, freeze the chicken about 15 minutes before cutting if time allows (or cut it while it’s not completely defrosted).
It’s great alongside fresh veggies like Sesame Bok Choy or even simply steamed broccoli.
Leftovers
Lemon Chicken is a great dish to make ahead or make a double batch so that you’ll have lots of leftovers. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days for easy lunches!
Better Than Takeout Dishes
Lemon Chicken
This easy lemon recipe is a sweet zesty favorite, made in under an hour!
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In a bowl, combine chicken with egg, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
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In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients.
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In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Discard the marinade.
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Add chicken to the pan in batches and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
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Stir the sauce well to ensure the cornstarch is fully incorporated. Pour it into the pan with the chicken. Let it simmer on low heat until it thickened, about 3-4 minutes
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Garnish with sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onion, and lemon wedges if desired.
Chicken: For easy handling, place chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting (optional). Chicken thighs work well in this recipe.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best for this recipe. If using fresh lemon, ½ teaspoon of lemon zest can be added to the sauce for an extra boost of lemon flavor.
Vegetables: Vegetables can be added to this chicken, asparagus, or green beans are great options. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Trim the vegetables and add them to the pan. Stir-fry them for a few minutes until they are tender crisp. Add the chicken and the sauce and continue to cook as directed.
For a crispy chicken, marinated chicken can be dusted in corn starch and deep fried in small batches at 350°F for 4-5 minutes. Thicken sauce and toss with chicken.
Calories: 258 | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian Fusion© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
