I’m not going to lie when I say this is the BEST Honey Lemon Chinese Chicken recipe ever!!!! And guys, I work professionally at an asian restaurant. This is the real deal- and you can make it at home! I mean soft tender chicken, an easy tempura breading, super fluffy coating, and that sweet citrus glaze you came here for.
YUS. Everything you love about an incredible Chinese lemon chicken is in this recipe and I’m proud to say that it is SO EASY to make. My boss might kill me for posting this but I really just can’t keep such wonderful things to myself!
There are a few steps/secrets to get the perfect soft chicken inside, with a huge airy ball of tempura coating. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Those fluffy chicken filled puffs of flavor they bring to you at the asian place with some thick sticky coating(lemon flavor/sweet and sour/spicy chili). It usually tastes a LITTLE fake and that’s what we want, right?
Lets face it- Anyone can make homemade chicken taste homemade.
The catch is making homemade Chinese chicken like it tastes from the takeaway box, and fellas, this is exactly that recipe.
What does Lemon chicken taste like?
My favorite lemon chicken is sweet and tangy, with a hint of chili and a hint of citrus. Nothing overpowering but its the kind of flavor you just have to have another bite of.
The chicken inside is extremely soft and coated in a fluffy, almost ball-like poof of breading that crisps on the first bite. Its golden and it’s delicious.
How to make soft Chinese Chicken
Some people like to use a method called velveting(which involves coating the chicken in baking soda, letting it sit, and then rinsing it off). This is an extra step and I have found the same results, with equal tenderness, using just a simple marinade. Easier is better!
After cutting the chicken into cubes, place it in a container and add in:
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp oil
Don’t be fooled by the small amounts- I’ts all you need to tenderize the chicken! I like to let this sit for an hour…..but 30 minutes works if you’re short on time and you can definitely marinate overnight for easy prep.
Airy Tempura Breading, Restaurant Style
To have a good(great), Chinese chicken recipe, you need the perfect tempura breading. Simply mix all the ingredients together.
The secret here is to use VERY COLD water and fry the chicken immediately. why? – the super cold batter hits the hot oil and the batter crisps up on the spot, giving us that crunchy exterior and perfect interior.
At the restaurant I keep the batter in the fridge in between frying chicken and sometimes put the container over an ice bath to keep it as cold as possible. Tricks of the trade!
For the batter you need:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbs baking powder
- 2 Tbs oil
- 1 cup very cold water
- 1 tsp salt
Honey Lemon Chinese Chicken Sauce- just like Takeaway
Now- for the best part! Our citrusy, sweet, perfect honey lemon sauce for Chinese chicken.
No secrets here- this sauce is easy to make and comes together in just 2 minutes. Also, its uses pretty basic pantry-staple ingredients(lemon, honey, chili sauce, soy sauce).
The one thing you might not have is rice vinegar. Pick this up from your local grocers asian section, and get an extra bottle! Use it also in our Korean Chicken Katsu and Chili Peppa Chicken.
My Tips?
- Add all sauce ingredients straight to your wok. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and then shut off the heat and remove the pan from the heat before adding the cornstarch slurry.
- Cornstarch slurry- to give the sauce that famous thick, glossy look like at the restaurant, you need cornstarch. And you cannot add it straight to the food or it will clump, so mix 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons water and then add it to the sauce. It will immediately thicken so mix it quick, then add the chicken.
- That lemon you zested and juiced? Throw it into the wok while the sauce boils, it adds the perfect extra amount of lemon flavor. Discard before adding the chicken.
I hope you love this Honey Lemon Chinese Chicken like we do- be sure to leave a review and a comment below if you make it, and always share your photos with us on Instagram! As always, Happy Cooking!
Honey Lemon Chinese Chicken(just like takeaway!)
Ingredients
- 2 pound chicken breast (1 kilo)
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp oil
Tempura Batter
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 TBSP baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 TBSP canola oil or other vegetable oil
- 1 cup very cold water
Honey Lemon Sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup lemon juice(juice from one lemon and zest as well)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 TBSP sweet chili sauce
- 2 TBSP soy sauce
- 2 TBSP cornstarch (for slurry)
- 2 TBSP water (for slurry)
Instructions
- Slice chicken breast into even cubes. Place in a container or bowl and add cornstarch, soy sauce, and oil. Mix thoroughly and place in the fridge to tenderize for 30 minutes minimum, up to overnight.
- In a seperte container Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder for batter. Whisk to combine and add oil and water. Whisk well to combine.
Fry
- Heat enough oil to deep fry the chicken. (its ready when it shimmers)Place chicken in the wet tempura batter and stir to coat. Working one at a time, drag each chicken cube through the batter so it has as much as possible on it, and gently place it into the hot oil. Dont crowd the oil- try not to touch the pieces together or they will stick. if this happens shake the pan or use chopsticks to seperate. Fry until golden and puffed- about 3-4 minutes. Set on a paper towel to catch any excess oil. Continue until all chicken is coated.
Sauce
- Zest the lemon and juice both halves.Meanwhile, add all sauce ingredients(except 2 Tbs cornstarch and 2 Tbs water for slurry) to a wok or pan big enough to hold all the chicken. Add in the lemon rinds that you juiced also! Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and cook for one minute. Remove from the heat. Discard lemon halves.In a small cup, dissolve cornstarch in water and mix well with a fork. Add to the hot sauce and mix immediately, until sauce is smooth. Add in tempura fried chicken and toss to coat all pieces in sauce.
Serve
- Serve hot with rice or fried rice. Optional- garnish with red chili flakes and lemon slices. Enjoy!
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Itís difficult to find educated people about this subject, but you sound like you know what youíre talking about! Thanks
I love to order this for take out. I didn’t know I could make this at home so easily. Crunchy and flavorful.
same! it’s truly a great dinner recipe!
This seriously is better than take out. It’s still jam-packed with flavor but so much lighter on the belly! Absolutely love this.
we agree! thanks for the comment Dana!
Our favourite takeaway but this a great recipe for making honey lemon chicken at home. It turned out great!
so happy to hear it Beth!
The lemon flavour in this was amazing. Such a great alternative to takeaway.