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Chinese Crispy Honey Lemon Chicken is coated with this wonderfully sweet and tangy honey lemon sauce with amazingly crispy texture. The honey lemon flavor is so addicting that I can eat so much of it. The chicken is crispy outside and juicy inside. Every bite makes you crave for more. The recipe is also quick and easy to make with simple ingredients. This can easily become a family pleaser at any occasion.

Chinese Honey Lemon Chicken is perfect for a weeknight meal, dinner party, late night snack, or even side dish. To me, the combination of honey and lemon is another level of excitement for my taste buds. If you are not much of a fan for lemon’s tangy taste, you can check out my other honey chicken recipes: Chinese Crispy Honey Chicken, and Korean Honey Butter Fried Chicken.

INGREDIENTS

MARINADE

Chinese Cooking Wine – This is also commonly used in marinating meat in Asian cooking.

Light Soy Sauce – This is normally used in marinade as well, which helps enhances the flavor.

Egg White – This is a secret in Asian cooking when it comes to marinating meat.

HONEY LEMON SAUCE

Honey – This is must-have for the Honey Sauce. Any kind of Honey should work.

Lemon – You will need a whole fresh lemon, which you will use both the zest and the juice.

OTHER INGREDIENTS

Chicken Leg Meat – I love the juicy chicken leg meat for this recipe. You can also use chicken thighs or breast.

All-purpose Flour – This is the most commonly used type of flour, a mid-strength, medium-gluten flour, which normally has 10 to 12 percent of protein.

Cornstarch – We use this to coat the chicken and to make the starch water. Cornstarch is widely used in Asian cooking. It is also called corn flour.

Vegetable Oil – I love using this for frying. I normally use Rapeseed Oil. Do not use Olive Oil.

Green Onions – or called Spring Onions. This is great for garnishing the dish at the end.

Sesame Seeds – use the roasted kind. I also love this for garnishing the dish.

Water – We need some water to make the starch water.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHINESE HONEY LEMON CHICKEN:

1. Marinate the Chicken – In a bowl, mix together Chicken, Chinese Cooking Wine, Light Soy Sauce, and Egg White. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

2. Make the Honey Lemon Sauce – In a small saucepan, add in Honey, Lemon Zest, and Lemon Juice over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the Starch Water. Stir well until the sauce thickens up. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Coat the Chicken with Flour – In another large bowl, add in All-purpose Flour and Cornstarch, mix well. Then add in the marinated Chicken. Use your hands to mix well the flour and the chicken to create an uneven coating. Shake off extra flour.

4. Fry the Chicken – In a wok, add in enough Vegetable Oil for the Chicken pieces to float, over medium-high heat. Add the Chicken pieces one at a time into the hot oil. Fry the Chicken in batches. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel or a wire rack. Repeat the same procedure.

5. Mix the Chicken with the Sauce – While the Chicken is still warm, place them in a large bowl. Add the Honey Lemon Sauce. Toss everything well. Sprinkle over some roasted Sesame Seeds. Toss again.

6. Ready to enjoy – Transfer to a plate. Garnish with some chopped Green Onions. Ready to enjoy!

Chinese fried chicken with honey lemon sauce

Haini’s Tips

• When cooking honey lemon sauce, after adding the Starch Water, beyond what is recommended, you can decide on whether to cook the sauce a bit longer or less depending on how thick you prefer it to be. The sauce will also thicken up a bit while cooling down.
• Always use fresh Lemon Juice and Zest for the best flavor possible.
• It is important to fry the Chicken in batches and do not overcrowd the pan.
• Take a close look at the Chicken when frying, especially when the colour changes. You don’t want to burn them so much.

I hope you will enjoy making this Chinese Crispy Honey Lemon Chicken recipe! Make this for your loved ones tonight and make them happy or enjoy this on your own while binge-watching TV shows or movies online. Either way, you will be glad that you’ve tried this!

MORE CHINESE CHICKEN RECIPES:

Sichuan Spicy Popcorn Chicken

Rich Drumstick Kung Pao Chicken

The Best Chinese Pepper Chicken

Crispy and Tangy Orange Chicken

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