There is, quite literally, the CREEPIEST Chinese restaurant about a mile from my house. You walk in and it’s like stepping back in time. The exterior is falling apart and patrons are far and few between. The owner (and only employee we’ve ever seen working) lacks any semblance of customer service.
But, the food is really good!
When Mr. Prevention was a bachelor (he lived here pre-Italy, pre-Tulsa, and pre-Ohio) he ordered from this same super creepy Chinese restaurant on a semi-regular basis. Because they’re lacking business and the owner is the only known employee, the hours are very unpredictable. Mr. Prevention used to call to place his order over the phone and would be told, “Come now!”
His order was often for Lemon Chicken — that deep-fried chicken in a sweet and sticky lemon sauce. Authentic? Unlikely. Delicious? Absolutely!
I was definitely all for trying this recipe. Lemon Chicken is a favorite and this Honey Lemon Chicken looked like a close recreation…but much more so on the lighter side of things.
Often, when I use cornstarch to thicken sauces, it doesn’t always do what it’s supposed to. Or, it takes a lot longer to reach the desired consistency than expected. This sauce was almost like magic – the cornstarch quickly made a thick and sticky, sweet and tart lemon sauce that perfectly coated all of the chicken with a little extra…because it’s that good.
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 green onions, sliced
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- zest of 1 lemon
- pinch of ground ginger
- In a large ziplock bag, combine the chicken that has been cut into bite-sized pieces with the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar; toss gently to coat chicken. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or overnight, if desired.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat; drain chicken of excess soy sauce and vinegar and add to skillet once oil is hot. Cook chicken 5-6 minutes or until cooked through; remove to a plate and discard any accumulated liquid.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, bring the sauce ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes or until sauce is glossy and thickened. Add chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve hot with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.
Weekly Menu: February 22nd – 26th
- Sunday: out with the girls
- Monday: Kale and Butternut Squash Stir-Fry
- Tuesday: Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo
- Wednesday: Linguine with Meyer Lemon Cream and Chives
- Thursday: baked potatoes with Katie’s Chili
Be well,
I wish I wasn’t allergic to sesame
I just made this tonight and it was delicious! I love how healthy and tasty it was. Didn’t have sesame seeds, but didn’t matter, still awesome!
This looks wonderful! Do you have any suggestions as to what you can substitute soy sauce with? I have an allergy to soy and miss out on great recipes because of soy sauce!
Thanks 🙂
Author
Hi Kristina! I would probably sub in beef broth…not low-sodium 😉
This looks good! I love it when the chicken gets sticky because of the honey. I HAVE to try this recipe this week, thanks for sharing!