Easy Homemade Chinese Lemon Chicken

This simple, Chinese takeout-inspired lemon chicken dish makes for an easy, flavorful main dish to serve with fried rice or steamed vegetables.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 343 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Chinese hot prepared mustard
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Whisk soy sauce, egg, lemon juice, rice vinegar, sugar, and hot mustard together in a medium bowl. Add chicken, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

Remove chicken from marinade and toss in a large mixing bowl with 1/2 cup cornstarch. Be sure to coat thoroughly. Discard marinade.

Step 3

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry chicken in batches until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a tray covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Step 4

Whisk chicken broth, lemon juice, honey, and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and stir constantly until sauce becomes translucent and begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and top cooked chicken with sauce.