Crispy fried chicken thighs glazed in a bright, tangy lemon sauce, served over rice with steamed greens.
Lemon chicken is a Cantonese restaurant classic developed for Western diners in Hong Kong and overseas Chinese communities, pairing deep-fried chicken with a glossy, tart-sweet lemon sauce rather than the more familiar orange sauce of other regional dishes. The chicken is marinated simply, coated in a light batter, and double-fried, first to cook through and then again briefly to make the crust extra crisp before it meets the sauce. The sauce is built from fresh lemon juice and zest simmered with sugar, a little stock and cornstarch to thicken it into a glossy glaze that clings to the chicken rather than pooling on the plate. Timing matters here: the sauce should be poured over the chicken right before serving, since a crisp coating left to sit in sauce for more than a few minutes will soften. Arranged on a platter with steamed rice and blanched choy sum or broccoli, this makes a festive, colorful main for a holiday-style Chinese meal at home.
Serves 4
Toss chicken with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and salt. Marinate 20 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch, flour, egg and cold water into a smooth, thick batter. Coat chicken pieces evenly.
Heat oil to 175C (350F). Fry chicken in batches 5-6 minutes until cooked through and light golden. Remove and rest 5 minutes, then re-fry at 190C (375F) for 2 minutes until deeply golden and extra crisp.
In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, zest, chicken stock and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 minutes until glossy and thickened enough to coat a spoon.
Blanch choy sum or broccoli in boiling salted water 2 minutes until bright green and just tender, then drain.
Arrange rice and blanched greens on a platter, top with the crispy chicken, and pour the hot lemon sauce over just before serving.
Pour the sauce on right before serving, not earlier, or the crispy coating will soften within minutes.
Double-frying is what keeps the coating crisp under the sauce — don't skip the second fry even though it feels like an extra step.
Use fresh lemon juice and real zest, not bottled juice, since the zest's oils carry most of the bright citrus aroma the sauce depends on.
Let the fried chicken rest on a wire rack, not paper towels, between fries so steam doesn't soften the bottom crust.
Swap chicken for firm white fish fillets, battered and fried the same way, for a Cantonese lemon fish variation.
Add a pinch of grated ginger to the sauce for a subtle warmth that balances the sugar and acidity.
For a lighter version, pan-fry the battered chicken in a thin layer of oil instead of deep-frying, turning frequently.
Store fried chicken and sauce separately; refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat chicken in a 200C (400F) oven until re-crisped, then reheat sauce separately and combine just before serving.
Lemon chicken emerged from Cantonese restaurant kitchens catering to Western tastes in the mid-20th century and has since become a fixture on Chinese restaurant menus across Hong Kong, North America and Europe.
You can bake it at 220C (425F) for about 20 minutes on a wire rack, but the coating will be noticeably less crisp than a proper double-fry.
The cornstarch slurry likely wasn't cooked long enough — simmer for a full minute or two after adding it so the starch fully activates and thickens.
Yes, reduce the sugar by up to a third and add a little extra lemon juice to keep the balance tart rather than cloying.
Per serving (450g / 15.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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