Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (2024)

RECIPES

MK DAILY

FOOD PRODUCTS

SHOP

RECIPES

MK DAILY

FOOD PRODUCTS

SHOP

HOT WOK OFFER. 2 x free cookbooks with every wok purchase. Limited time only. SHOP NOW →

RECIPES

MK DAILY

SHOP

RECIPES

MK DAILY

SHOP

HOT WOK OFFER. 2 x free cookbooks with every wok purchase. Limited time only. SHOP NOW →

Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (4)

Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (5)

Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (6)

Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (7)

PRINT THIS

Jump to Recipe ↓

Ditch the Chinese takeout imposter for real-deal deliciousness with my version of the classic. Crispy fried chicken that can resist that sweet, sticky lemon sauce without going soggy? You heard me – this is my best lemon chicken recipe ever.

PREP TIME

20 minutes

COOK TIME

10 minutes

SERVES

4

Ingredients

600g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken breast, cut into 1cm (⅜ inch) thick slice

1 egg white, beaten well

2 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*

3 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

sea salt

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and very finely sliced on the diagonal

Coating

¾ cup plain (all purpose) flour

½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

Lemon sauce

½ cup chicken stock

¼ cup lemon juice

⅓ cup caster (superfine) sugar

2 tsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 1½ tbsp water

Steps

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (8)

    Add the chicken, egg white, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (9)

    Meanwhile, for the coating, whisk the flour, cornflour, salt and baking power in a bowl. Fill a saucepan or wok to about one-third capacity with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces lots of bubbles.

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (10)

    While the oil heats, let’s make the lemon sauce. Combine the stock, lemon juice, sugar, rice vinegar, Shadowing wine and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cornflour mixture to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute or until thickened. Keep warm.

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (11)

    Working in two batches, add the chicken to the coating mixture, tossing it well to coat each piece. Cook half the chicken in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a tray lined with baking paper, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (12)

    Arrange the lemon slices on a serving platter, then pile the chicken on top. Drizzle with the hot lemon sauce, scatter with the spring onion, then serve.

  • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (13)

    Notes:

    – Chinese Shaoxing wine is a type of cooking rice wine. It’s available in the Asian aisle of some major supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store. If you’d rather leave it out, simply replace with chicken stock.

What does lemon chicken taste like?

Lemon chicken is a highly popular Chinese recipe that you’ll find on many restaurant and takeaway menus. Our version of Chinese lemon chicken features boneless and skinless chicken breast that’s dredged in a coating, then fried until it’s golden and crispy. Lemon sauce gets drizzled on top, which is a tangy mix of sweet and sour.

30-minute mealsBest-ever chicken recipesChickenChinese cuisineDinnerLunchStir-friesTakeaway classicsWeekend meals

APPEARS IN THESE

Collections

  • 30-minute meals
    • Best-ever chicken recipes
      • Chicken
        • Chicken stir-fry recipes
      • Chinese cuisine
        • Dinner
          • Chicken Dinner
          • Easy Dinner
        • Lunch
          • Chicken Lunch
        • Stir-fries
          • Takeaway classics
            • Weekend meals

              Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (16)Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (17)

              What our customers say

              5.0

              Rated 5.0 out of 5

              5.0 out of 5 stars (based on 11 reviews)

              Excellent100%

              Very good0%

              Average0%

              Poor0%

              Terrible0%

              RATE AND REVIEW

              Deb

              November 16, 2023

              Simply the best 🥰

              Thank you Marion . I am now a Marion’s kitchen convert. I have made this twice and both times delicious. This is by far the tastiest and easiest, repeat, tastiest and easiest lemon chicken I’ve ever made. Definitely a keeper.

              Jasper

              August 28, 2023

              Just superb

              Easy to cook, and definitely better than any I’ve had in a Chinese restaurant. And even heats up again ok the next day.

              Kathy

              August 2, 2023

              Amazing Lemon Chicken

              My husband always orders this when we get takeout and I never eat it. After seeing this recipe and watching the video, I loved it and so did the husband. Really easy to make.

              Popular on Marion's Kitchen

              Thai Fried Garlic Chicken
              Spicy Pork Miso Noodle Soup
              Honey Glazed Tea-smoked Salmon

              Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken

              Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (18)

              Ditch the Chinese takeout imposter for real-deal deliciousness with my version of the classic. Crispy fried chicken that can resist that sweet, sticky lemon sauce without going soggy? You heard me – this is my best lemon chicken recipe ever.

              PREP TIME20 minutes
              COOK TIME10 minutes
              SERVES4

              Ingredients

              600g (1 lb 5 oz) chicken breast, cut into 1cm (⅜ inch) thick slice

              1 egg white, beaten well

              2 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*

              3 tsp soy sauce

              1 tsp sesame oil

              1½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

              sea salt

              1 lemon, thinly sliced

              2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and very finely sliced on the diagonal

              Coating

              ¾ cup plain (all purpose) flour

              ½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)

              1 tsp salt

              1 tsp baking powder

              Lemon sauce

              ½ cup chicken stock

              ¼ cup lemon juice

              ⅓ cup caster (superfine) sugar

              2 tsp rice vinegar

              1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*

              2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

              1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 1½ tbsp water

              Steps

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (19)

                Add the chicken, egg white, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (20)

                Meanwhile, for the coating, whisk the flour, cornflour, salt and baking power in a bowl. Fill a saucepan or wok to about one-third capacity with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces lots of bubbles.

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (21)

                While the oil heats, let’s make the lemon sauce. Combine the stock, lemon juice, sugar, rice vinegar, Shadowing wine and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cornflour mixture to the sauce and simmer for 1 minute or until thickened. Keep warm.

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (22)

                Working in two batches, add the chicken to the coating mixture, tossing it well to coat each piece. Cook half the chicken in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a tray lined with baking paper, and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (23)

                Arrange the lemon slices on a serving platter, then pile the chicken on top. Drizzle with the hot lemon sauce, scatter with the spring onion, then serve.

              • Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (24)

                Notes:

                – Chinese Shaoxing wine is a type of cooking rice wine. It’s available in the Asian aisle of some major supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store. If you’d rather leave it out, simply replace with chicken stock.

              FOOD PRODUCTS

              Curry Paste

              Meal Kits

              Chilli Sauces

              Marion's Original Marinades

              Marion's Original Salad Dressings

              Where to Buy

              EXPLORE

              Recipes

              MK Daily

              About Us

              Shop

              WORK WITH US

              Media Partnerships

              Content Production

              GET HELP

              Contact Us

              Shipping and Delivery

              Returns and Exchanges

              @2022 Marion's Kitchen

              Privacy Policy Terms of Service

              Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!

              Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!

              FOOD PRODUCTS

              EXPLORE

              WORK WITH US

              GET HELP

              Curry Paste

              Recipes

              Media Partnerships

              Contact Us

              Meal Kits

              MK Daily

              Content Production

              Shipping and Delivery

              Chilli Sauces

              About Us

              Returns and Exchanges

              Marion's Original Marinades

              Shop

              Marion's Original Salad Dressings

              Where to Buy

              @2021 Marion's Kitchen

              Terms

              Privacy Policy Terms of Service

              Accessibility

              Stay in touch with my latest recipes and updates!

              FOOD PRODUCTS

              Curry Paste

              Meal Kits

              Chilli Sauces

              Marion's Original Marinades

              Marion's Original Salad Dressings

              Where to Buy

              EXPLORE

              Recipes

              MK Daily

              About Us

              Shop

              WORK WITH US

              Media Partnerships

              Content Production

              GET HELP

              Contact Us

              Shipping and Delivery

              Returns and Exchanges

              @2021 Marion's Kitchen

              Privacy Policy Terms of Service

              We use cookies on our website to enhance your browsing experience and to analyze our website traffic. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL cookies.

              Manage consent

              Privacy Overview

              This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.

              Necessary

              Always Enabled

              Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

              CookieDurationDescription
              cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
              cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
              cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
              cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
              cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
              viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

              Functional

              Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

              Performance

              Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

              Analytics

              Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

              Advertisem*nt

              Advertisem*nt cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

              Others

              Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

              Powered by Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (25)

              Leave your rating and review

              Marion’s Best Lemon Chicken recipe | Marion's Kitchen (2024)

              FAQs

              What is lemon chicken sauce made of? ›

              Cut the Chicken

              Mix well with your hands and let marinate for at least 20 minutes. Next, mix the sauce by combining chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, honey, distilled white vinegar, and cornstarch. I always like to premix my sauce to have it ready to go during the fast cooking process.

              What does adding lemon juice to chicken do? ›

              Lemon is acidic and helps balance the stronger flavor of the dark meat in thighs and legs, and the fat from the chicken skin.

              What does Ina Garten serve with her lemon chicken? ›

              The sauce has garlic, thyme and lemon, and has so much flavor," Garten says. "And the whole thing takes like 5 minutes to put together... The best thing about this is that it makes the chicken and the sauce at the same time." Serve it over rice or quinoa, and the grains can absorb all of the sauce, Garten recommends.

              How many calories are in Chinese lemon chicken? ›

              How Many Calories Are in Chinese Lemon Chicken? One cup of lemon chicken contains approximately 657 calories. This dish is high in fat and protein, with 85 percent coming from saturated fat. It contains zero carbohydrates.

              What happens when you marinate chicken in lemon juice? ›

              Marinades that use acidic components, such as lemon juice, should only be used for 2-3 hours, no more than 3 hours. Here's why: Lemon juice helps to tenderize meat, but when left for too long, it will break down the proteins too much, making the meat tough and rubbery… sometimes even mushy.

              What is Chinese lemon chicken made of? ›

              Marion's ultimate fresh and light lemon chicken is deliciously marinated in soy sauce, egg white and Shiaoxing wine. Lemon zest and juice add tang to the glossy sauce that coats the chicken pieces.

              Do you put lemon juice on chicken before or after cooking? ›

              Directions
              1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
              2. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place in melted butter. Cook chicken, flipping frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. ...
              3. Pour lemon juice over each side of chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 10 minutes more.
              Nov 9, 2022

              When to add lemon to chicken? ›

              At Least 30 Minutes Before Cooking: Marinate the Chicken

              Zest and juice one lemon into a large bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, 5 crushed or minced garlic cloves (use minced for a stronger flavor), 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and ¼ cup of chopped parsley.

              What does rubbing lime on chicken do? ›

              Use the lime and its juices to scrub the surface of each individual piece of chicken. This helps to remove the slime and film off the chicken. The salt helps to "exfoliate" as you scrub the limes on the chicken like a "sponge".

              What does Ina Garten eat every day? ›

              That's work, and this is dinner.” In addition to her daily cuppa and soup lunches, Garten said that she serves herself the same breakfast daily too. “I pretty much have toast and coffee,” she explained. “And the toast has to have good French butter on it with shaved sea salt.

              Can you eat lemon chicken cold? ›

              Our answer. Nigella's Slow Roasted Garlic And Lemon Chicken (from NIGELLA SUMMER) is usually served hot or warm but could be served cold. If being eaten with fingers then you may find it easier to use chicken drumsticks, or a combination of drumsticks and thighs, instead of a whole jointed chicken.

              When cooking with lemons what two parts contain the best flavor? ›

              If you're baking a lemon loaf or citrusy crinkle cookies, you'll get the most concentrated citrus flavor by adding lemon zest to the mix. While lemon juice adds an acidic punch to salad dressings and countless other dishes, lemon zest holds all the fruit's fragrant, floral notes.

              Is lemon chicken high in fat? ›

              There are 1570 calories in a 1 order (623.000g) serving size of Restaurant, Chinese, lemon chicken. The calorie breakdown is 48% fat, 33% carbs, and 19% protein.

              How many carbs are in Chinese lemon chicken? ›

              Chinese Restaurant Lemon Chicken Without Rice (1 order) contains 128.4g total carbs, 122.2g net carbs, 84.4g fat, 74g protein, and 1570 calories.

              What is lemon cream sauce made of? ›

              In addition to one lemon and a cup of heavy cream (this is not the time to substitute half and half), you'll need olive oil and shallots—that's all. We use both lemon juice and zest in this easy recipe. The tang of the lemon balances the richness of the cream.

              Can you buy lemon sauce for chicken? ›

              Ben´s Original™ Lemon Chicken sauce combines lemon juice with sesame seeds & ginger for extra zing - perfect for a Chinese-style dinner at home. Ben´s Original™ Lemon Chicken cooking sauce is free from artificial colours and preservatives, and helps you create a delicious and wholesome Chinese meal in no time.

              What is lemon butter sauce made of? ›

              Lemon butter sauce is a decadent sauce made from lemon and butter, plus ingredients such as shallot, garlic, chicken stock, and parsley.

              Which is a yellow sauce made from egg yolk butter lemon juice and gastric? ›

              Hollandaise sauce (/hɒlənˈdeɪz/ or /ˈhɒləndeɪz/; French: [ɔlɑ̃dɛz]), meaning Dutch sauce in French, is a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice (or a white wine or vinegar reduction).

              Top Articles
              Latest Posts
              Article information

              Author: Eusebia Nader

              Last Updated:

              Views: 6555

              Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

              Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

              Author information

              Name: Eusebia Nader

              Birthday: 1994-11-11

              Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

              Phone: +2316203969400

              Job: International Farming Consultant

              Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

              Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.