Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken

This is Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken, the old school way: A crispy battered chicken cutlet cut into slices then smothered in a tangy sweet lemon sauce. Oh-so-very good!

Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken

You mightn’t see Lemon Chicken on the menu of those trendy modern Chinese places, but it’s a mainstay at suburban restaurants – and in my life! I love it, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I was interested to note that the online world seems to favour Lemon Chicken in bite size pieces, but me, I’m loyal to the old-school way: whole battered chicken cutlets, sliced and sauced.

I do take liberty with the sauce though which I usually find too sweet and lacking real lemon flavour, so I dialled up the bright lemon flavour and dialled down the sugar. Also, I make my batter with stronger crispy-staying power so it doesn’t go soggy the moment the sauce hits it. The chicken is remarkably un-greasy, and the crust is crispy in a puffy-light way.

If you’ve only ever had Lemon Chicken out, I really think you’ll love this homemade version!

Crispy Lemon Chicken ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this.

1. Crispy battered chicken

The crust of Chinese Lemon Chicken is the type that’s a bit puffy and light, kind of like beer battered fish, and I like to give mine extra crispy-staying power. The secret is to use a combination of flour and cornflour, ice cold soda water (fizz = lighter crust), baking powder (for puff) and the cooking technique (double-fry method). It’s adapted from the same tried-and-true recipe I use for Honey Prawns and Honey Chicken.

• Chicken – I prefer boneless thighs because the meat is juicier and you also get more gnarly craggy edges which means more crunch! It’s also what I typically see at Chinese restaurants – Asians typically favour dark meat over leaner breast.

  Having said that, you can absolutely use chicken breast! You’ll only need 2, split them in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks.

• Cornflour and regular flour – Cornflour makes batters crispier than regular flour but doesn’t go golden or puffy (as baking powder doesn’t work with cornflour). On the other hand, plain flour doesn’t fry up as crispy and doesn’t stay crispy as long, but it does become a lovely golden colour when fried which is desirable. And as alluded to above, baking powder, which is what makes batters puff up so they are light rather than hard and stuck to the surface of the chicken, works with flour not cornflour.

• Baking powder – To make the batter puffy. Doesn’t require much, just 1/4 teaspoon!

• COLD soda water or club soda or seltzer water – NOT sparkling mineral water which is naturally carbonated (ie fizzy). We want something that has the full-on man-made bubbles in it which is fizzier. The fizz helps with the puff, the cold is key for ultra crispy:  the shock of the cold batter hitting the hot oil = super crispy virtually immediately.

• Oil – Vegetable, canola or any other neutral flavoured oil (eg peanut oil) that is suitable for deep frying can be used. The oil is clean so can be re-purposed for any cooking – deep frying (more recipes here) or regular sautéing etc.

• Green onion – For garnish, 100% optional. I can’t recall ever seeing Lemon Chicken garnished at a Chinese restaurant!!!

No egg – Notice there’s no egg in the batter? That’s because egg makes fried batters less crispy. And we don’t need it for dredging here, like you do when coating with breadcrumbs.

2. THE LEMON SAUCE

As noted above, I like to be able to taste bright lemon flavour in the sauce and I don’t like it too sweet. If you find it’s not sweet enough for your taste, just add a bit more sugar at the end (but honestly, I think you will find it sweet enough).

• Lemons – Can’t beat fresh lemons for real bright lemon flavour! In the event of an emergency though, bottled lemon juice can be used. 🙂

• Ginger and garlic – Just 1/2 a teaspoon of each, for a hint of flavour. Finely grated with a microplane so you don’t have lumps in the sauce.

• Chicken stock/broth rather than water for the liquid, for a sauce with better flavour (it’s a bit one dimensional and bland with water).

• Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) – This adds salt and a bit of extra depth of flavour to the sauce, to really give it that true Chinese restaurant edge. Not the end of the world to omit for alcohol free but substitute with a pinch of salt (Shaoxing wine is salty – what do you mean you’ve never had a sip? 🙂 )

• Sugar – I use 1/3 cup which, as noted above, makes it sweet but not tooth-achingly so. You do need enough sugar to balance the lemon, else it’s too sour.

• Cornflour (cornstarch) – This is what thickens the sauce but makes it nice and shiny (flour would make it cloudy). Tip: If making the sauce ahead, it is better to use arrowroot instead as cornflour thickened sauces tend to go watery when reheated. Substitute equal amount.

How to make Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken

Chicken with extra crispy-staying power relies on two key things: the shock of cold batter hitting hot oil (fairly common knowledge these days in the culinary world) and a double-fry, the world’s worst-kept Asian secret for less greasy, extra crispy foods. Standard techniques I deploy in most of my deep fried recipes!

The beauty of the double-fry method is an stress-free workflow – no drippy batter or last-minute frying frenzy. Do a clean up, get the plates out and do a quick second fry just prior to serving!

1. Lemon Sauce – Whisk the cornflour with a splash of chicken stock first until lump free (it dissolves better in less liquid), then whisk in everything else. Simmer for 3 minutes until it thickens to a thin honey consistency. It will go really thick at first – but trust the process, it gets thinner after a minute! Bear in mind that the sauce thickens as it cools.

2. Refrigerate dry – Whisk the flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder in a bowl first then keep that in the fridge while you prepare the chicken. This helps the batter be extra chilled

3. Pound chicken with a meat mallet, skillet or saucepan until it is 0.7cm / 1/3″ thick. Cover with a freezer bag or Go-Between to protect the meat so it doesn’t tear. (Go-between is like cling wrap but it’s thicker and doesn’t stick to itself. Sold alongside cling wrap at the grocery store, it’s useful for keeping stacked food in the freezer from sticking to each other, and protecting meat from being damaged when pounding).

4. Dust – Spread the cornflour onto a plate. Sprinkle salt on the chicken then press into the cornflour, shake off the excess then put on a plate and set aside.

   The cornflour acts as an extra protection layer to prevent the chicken juices from making the batter soggy, as well as giving the batter something to cling to.

5. Oil heating – Start heating the oil. Heat it to 160°C/320°F (I use a Thermapen to check the temperature). You will need 4cm / 1.6″ depth to keep the chicken suspended as it cooks (you will cry if it gets stuck on the base and rips the shell off!). But the oil stays clean so you can used it for regular cooking after use.

   Use a heavy based pot for safety and good heat retention (the oil temp drops quickly when food is added). I use my 24cm / 9.4″ cast iron pot. A skillet (even a deep one) will not be deep enough.

6. Cold fizzy batter – Then add the soda water and whisk that in just prior to use. See below for goal thickness – adjust with extra plain flour or soda water if needed. If the batter is too thick, it will puff up massively. If it’s too thin, it won’t adhere and may break off while cooking.

   Tips: The shock of ice-cold batter hitting hot oil makes it super-crispy, and stay crispy. So if you’re making a large batch or your chatty aunt rings mid-cook, pop the batter in the fridge to keep it cold.

7. Dredge – Dip the chicken in the batter and hold it up for a couple of seconds to let the excess dip off. The batter should be thick enough to fully cover the chicken but can be ever so slightly translucent.

8. Fry 1 low temp – Fry the chicken for 3 minutes until it is very pale golden, borderline white, but the batter is crisp, puffed and set. The batter will be crisp straight out of the fryer but will soften as it cools.

   Tips: When you put it in the oil, don’t touch it for the first minute to let the batter adhere, then carefully turn the chicken about halfway through. I fry 2 pieces of chicken at a time – they just fit. If using a smaller pot, do them one at a time so you don’t crowd the pot.

9. Cool – Remove the chicken onto a paper towel lined tray and do Fry #1 with the remaining chicken. Let the chicken cool for 20 minutes before doing Fry #2, or even longer.

   I make the Lemon Sauce while the chicken is cooling, and prep other dishes, see below for suggestions for what to serve this with. (PS The chicken crust will soften as it cools.)

10. Fry 2 high temp – Now, we crisp it!! Heat the oil to 200°C/390°F. Then fry the chicken for 3 minutes until it is deep golden, turning at the halfway mark. You can crowd the pot for Fry #2. I could fit 3 but not 4, so I just stick to 2 pieces of chicken.

11. Slicing – Remove the chicken onto the paper towel lined tray again while you finish Fry 2. Then slice the chicken into 1.5cm / 0.6″ slices.

12. Saucing – Transfer the sliced chicken onto a serving plate or individual plates and spoon over the sauce (warm to loosen if needed, it will take barely a minute, and if still too thick add a teaspoon of water at a time as needed). Garnish with green onion and lemon slices if desired then dig in!

What I serve with Lemon Chicken

It’s pictured in the video with Chinese Broccoli and Oyster Sauce (you know, the Yum Cha type!) and plain steamed rice which is excellent for Lemon Sauce soakage. Though you could absolutely upgrade to Fried Rice or buttery Garlic Rice (how did I not think of Garlic Rice before just now?!).

If you’re making a larger banquet, how about adding a side of Char Siu Chinese BBQ Pork? It’s oven-baked, so you won’t be juggling multiple stove dishes at once. And as I’ve said before, it is perfectly acceptable in my world to make the Fried Rice ahead of time then just reheat it in the microwave. Because serving a multi-course meal should feel effortless and elegant, not a panicked scramble! – Nagi x

PS The irony here, of course, is that I have never heard my name in the same sentence as the words “effortless” or “elegant”, whether cooking is involved or not. 😆

Watch how to make it

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Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken – old school style!

Author: Nagi

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Cooling chicken after Fry #1: 20 minutes mins

Main

Chinese

5 from 2 votes

Servings4 pieces

Tap or hover to scale

Print

Recipe video above. Don't you hate it when you go to all that effort to fry up something for a crispy shell only to have it go soggy the second the sauce hits it? This fry batter is built for crunch that lasts, even after dousing in Lemon Sauce! Tried and proven method involving a double-fry with a precise cornflour + flour mix and ice cold soda water (see Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken and Honey Prawns for glowing reader feedback!)

This is served the old school way with a crispy battered cutlet sliced then sauced. For battered bite size pieces, use the sauce in this recipe with the chicken from the Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

CupsMetric

• ▢ 4 x 125g/3oz chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless (or 2 breasts – Note 1)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup cornflour / cornstarch
• ▢ 1 – 1 1/2 litres (4 – 6 cups) vegetable or canola oil , for frying – 4cm / 1.6" depth (re-usable, Note 2)

STAY-CRISP FRY BATTER

• ▢ 1/4 cup cornflour / cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup COLD soda water , not sparking mineral water (Note 3)

LEMON SAUCE

• ▢ 6 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• ▢ 1/2 cup lemon juice , fresh
• ▢ 1/3 cup white sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic , finely grated
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ginger , finely grated
• ▢ 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (can omit for alcohol-free)

GARNISH (optional)

• ▢ Lemon slices , to serve (optional)
• ▢ 1 green onion , finely sliced on the diagonal, to serve (optional)

Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

• Pound chicken to 0.7cm / 1/3", salt, dust with cornflour. Dredge in batter, fry 3 min at 160°C/320°F, cool 20 min, fry again 3 min at 200°C/390°F until dark golden and crispy. Slice, serve with sauce (simmer 3 min).

FULL RECIPE

• Refrigerate batter dry – Whisk the cornflour, flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then put it in the fridge which you proceed with other prep (Note 4)
• Pound chicken – Place chicken on a cutting board and cover with a freezer bag or similar (I use Go-Between, Note 5) then pound with a meat mallet or bottom of a skillet until it is an even 0.7cm / 1/3" thick. Sprinkle both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Dust – Spread the cornflour on a plate and dust each side of the chicken with it, shaking off excess. Put on a plate and set aside while you keep preparing.
• Preheat oil to 160°C/320°F in a large heavy based pot (mine is 24cm/9.4"). The oil needs to be at least 4cm/1.6" depth so the chicken floats.
• Finish batter – Remove bowl from the fridge, add soda water and whisk just until combined, then stop – some small lumps are ok, better than whisking to death (makes crust less puffy and light). It should be a fairly thin batter, enough to coat the chicken but fairly thinly.
• Fry #1 – Dip a piece of chicken in the batter and let the excess drip off, then carefully place in the oil. Do another piece (if it will fit). Fry for 3 minutes until very pale golden. Remove onto a paper towel lined tray and repeat with remaining chicken.
• Cool chicken for 20 minutes. (Note 6) Meanwhile, make the sauce.
• Lemon Sauce – Place the cornflour and a splash of the chicken stock in a small saucepan. Whisk until lump-free, then add remaining stock and sauce ingredients. Whisk and bring to a simmer over medium heat, then let it simmer for 3 minutes, whisking every now and then until it becomes a thin honey consistency. At first, it will go very thick (too thick for sauce) then it becomes thinner. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm (reheated if needed to loosen).
• Fry #2 – Heat the oil to 200°C/390°F. Fry 2 pieces of chicken for 3 minutes until deep golden and super crispy, turning the chicken in the oil at the halfway mark. Remove onto a paper towel lined tray and repeat with remaining chicken.
• Serving – Cut the chicken into 2cm thick slices (3/4"), transfer onto individual or shared serving plate. Pour over the Lemon Sauce, garnish with green onions and lemon slices if using. Serve with steamed rice (see in post for more side options).

Recipe Notes:

1. Chicken cut – I prefer thigh for the more nubbly surface area (and therefore more crunchy texture!) and the meat is juicer. However, breast works just fine – cut in half lengthwise to form 4 thin steaks and follow recipe as written except no need to pound.

2. Oil re-use – The oil is clean so can be reused for any purpose, not just deep frying but also sautéing etc.

3. Cold soda water (or club soda or seltzer water) – It must be fridge cold to ensure crispy coating. Needs to be man-made fizziness to help with the puffiness. Do not use sparkling mineral water (ie naturally fizzy) – it’s not as strong. It works but not as crispy.
BEST SUB: Ice cold water. Crispiness not as strong so doesn’t last as long once sauced, but still excellent and worth making, and crispier than usual fry batters.

4. Batter tips – Cold batter is key to a light crispy shell, so refrigerating the bowl with the dry ingredients helps (also logical for workflow) as well as ensuring the soda water is cold, cold, cold! If making a big bath, keep the batter refrigerating between fry batches to keep it cold (I’ve even been known to set the bowl in another filled with ice).

5. Sheets for pounding – I use a product called “Go Between” which is like freezer bags but they are sheets used to keep food separated in the freezer (for easy portion control). It comes in a roll like cling wrap, brand is Glad (Australia). You can use parchment/baking paper or freezer bags as well.

6. Cooling before Fry #2 definitely makes it crispier, I tried it.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days though the crust does soften due to the sauce! Keep them separate if you can.

Nutrition per Lemon Chicken assumes 2 teaspoons of oil is absorbed in the crust of each piece of chicken and that all the sauce is consumed.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 358cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 32g (11%)Protein: 25g (50%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 119mg (40%)Sodium: 811mg (35%)Potassium: 390mg (11%)Fiber: 0.4g (2%)Sugar: 18g (20%)Vitamin A: 62IU (1%)Vitamin C: 12mg (15%)Calcium: 30mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Keywords: chinese fried chicken, crispy chinese lemon chicken, crispy lemon chicken, lemon sauce for chicken

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Re-hab time! 10 days of being under the weather has really taken a toll on his mobility. As Neil, the Magic Dog Doctor always says – if you don’t use it, you lose it – and Mr Dozer has lost it. 😢 He’s too weak and creaky to stand up by himself, so I find myself doing this 30 times a day:

Does it surprise anyone that his favourite place is under the dining table so I have to crawl under there to help haul him up, bonking my head repeatedly?

Once he’s on his feet and gets moving, he isn’t too bad. Yesterday he was keen to go for a walk and we made it halfway around the block (yay!).

But I have to rebuild his strength. It’s simply not viable for someone to help him to his feet every time he wants to get up, every day, forever more.

And it’s no way for Dozer to live.

I know I can bring him back. I’m doing everything I can. More on this next time!

In positive news, through this entire ordeal – even at the peak of his gastro – he never lost his appetite. Atta boy! 🥰