Chinese Lemon Chicken Bowl
Chinese Lemon Chicken is one of those dishes I always crave when I want something fresh but still comforting, and making it at home is so much easier than you’d think. The chicken gets perfectly crispy on the outside, tender inside, then coated in a tangy-sweet lemon sauce that’s bright without being overpowering. Served over a bowl of fluffy rice, it’s a full meal that feels satisfying, flavorful, and a little lighter than your usual takeout. Plus, it all comes together in about 30 minutes, which makes it weeknight-friendly and a recipe I come back to again and again!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless Chicken thighs
- 1/4 Onion, sliced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tbsp Cooking wine
1 tbsp Corn starch
1/2 Lemon, sliced
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
3 tbsp Water
3 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp Sugar
Step by step instructions
1. Cut and marinate the chicken
Cut boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season them with salt, black pepper, and cooking wine, then sprinkle in the corn starch and toss everything together until each piece is coated. This gives the chicken a light, crispy exterior when cooked.
2. Prepare the sauce
In a separate bowl, mix together soy sauce, mirin, sugar and water until well combined. Set aside — this tangy, sweet, and savory sauce will come together quickly once the chicken is in the pan.
3. Sear the chicken
Heat a pan over medium heat and add the chicken pieces. Sear them on one side until they turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Then flip to cook the other side.
4. Add onions
Toss in the sliced onions and cook for 1–2 minutes until they soften slightly and start to sweeten.
5. Add the sauce and lemon
Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and onions. Add the lemon slices to the pan and squeeze in fresh lemon juice for extra brightness. This creates a glossy, flavorful coating for the chicken.
6. Simmer briefly
Let everything simmer together for about a minute so the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld perfectly.
7. Serve
Spoon the chicken, sauce, and onions over a bowl of hot rice. Make sure each bite gets some of that tangy lemon sauce — it’s comforting, bright, and just the right amount of sweet and savory. Enjoy!
Chinese Lemon Chicken Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 boneless Chicken thighs
- 1/4 Onion, sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Cooking wine
- 1 tbsp Corn starch
- 1/2 Lemon, sliced
- 3 tbsp Water
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut and marinate the chicken: Cut boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Season them with salt, black pepper, and cooking wine, then sprinkle in the corn starch and toss everything together until each piece is coated. This gives the chicken a light, crispy exterior when cooked.
- Prepare the sauce: In a separate bowl, mix together soy sauce, mirin, sugar and water until well combined. Set aside — this tangy, sweet, and savory sauce will come together quickly once the chicken is in the pan.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a pan over medium heat and add the chicken pieces. Sear them on one side until they turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Then flip to cook the other side.
- Add onions: Toss in the sliced onions and cook for 1–2 minutes until they soften slightly and start to sweeten.
- Add the sauce and lemon: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and onions. Add the lemon slices to the pan and squeeze in fresh lemon juice for extra brightness. This creates a glossy, flavorful coating for the chicken.
- Simmer briefly: Let everything simmer together for about a minute so the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld perfectly.
- Serve: Spoon the chicken, sauce, and onions over a bowl of hot rice. Make sure each bite gets some of that tangy lemon sauce — it’s comforting, bright, and just the right amount of sweet and savory. Enjoy!