Which came first, the orange or the lemon? If we’re speaking Chinese cuisine, Cantonese lemon chicken originated in Hong Kong, while orange chicken is a modern Chinese-American invention. If you’ve only had the latter, give this recipe a try. Though both share citrus flavor profiles, lemon chicken is brighter, tangier, and less sweet—lighter with a distinct lemony kick.
And if you've made lemon chicken before and found it lacking, here's the secret to restaurant-style lemon chicken: custard powder.
Custard powder?
Custard powder is made of cornstarch, milk powder, and vanilla sugar, so you might be wondering why it’s needed for this dish.
Custard powder is not unusual in Cantonese cuisine, where it finds use in dishes like sweet and sour pork and custard-filled buns. For lemon chicken, custard powder helps thicken the lemon sauce, giving you a sticky, glossy sauce that clings to your crispy chicken. The milk powder and vanilla sugar give it the subtle sweetness to balance the lemon's tartness, while also imparting that unmistakable yellow hue.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp MSG
- 500g skin-on chicken thigh fillets, sliced into chunks
Fried Chicken
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp MSG
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- neutral oil, for frying
Lemon Sauce
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup lemon juice
- about 6 round lemon slices, more for garnish
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp custard powder
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- zest of 1 lemon, around 1 tbsp, for garnish
Marinate chicken: Combine 1 egg, 2 tbsp cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, five-spice powder, pepper, and MSG in a medium bowl. Mix well. Add chicken chunks and mix well with hands. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
Make lemon sauce: Combine lemon juice, lemon slices, custard powder, sugar, cornstarch, water, and soy sauce in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and whisk well until ingredients are fully incorporated. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the mixture has homogenized. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water. Take off heat and set aside.
Dredge chicken: Combine cornstarch, MSG, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. With your hands and working one piece at a time, coat chicken pieces in cornstarch, making sure all sides are well-coated.
Fry chicken: Heat up 1-2 inches of neutral oil to 180°C in a skillet over medium-high heat. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, drop a small piece of bread into the oil. If it turns golden brown in 15 seconds, your oil is ready for frying.
Deep-fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and place on a wire rack to remove excess oil.
Coat chicken: Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Pour ½ cup of sauce or as much as desired and toss until chicken is completely and evenly coated.
Serve: Transfer lemon chicken to a serving dish. Grate fresh lemon zest on top and garnish with cooked and fresh lemon slices.
