Crispy, golden chicken coated in a sticky honey lemon sauce with garlic, ginger and a little kick of chilli – this Sticky Honey Lemon Chicken is better than takeaway and ready in about 20 minutes.
It’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love, and it goes perfectly with fluffy rice or noodles.
Sticky Honey Lemon Chicken
Crispy, golden chicken tossed in a sticky honey lemon sauce with garlic, ginger and a little chilli. Better than takeaway and ready in about 20 minutes.
For the Chicken
- 500 g chicken breast, cut into thin bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cornflour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
For the Honey Lemon Sauce
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
To Garnish
- Thinly sliced spring onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
Method
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and chilli flakes together. Set aside.
- Coat the Chicken: Add the soy sauce to a large bowl and whisk in the egg. Add the chicken and toss until coated. Dip the chicken pieces into the cornflour a few at a time, tossing until coated on all sides, until all of the chicken is coated.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pan fry the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. Set aside.
- Cook the Garlic and Ginger: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan along with the garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly golden.
- Make it Sticky: Pour in the honey lemon sauce and add the chicken back to the pan. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens into a sticky coating for the chicken.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve straight away.
Tips and Variations
- Cut the chicken into thin, even pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Fry the chicken in batches if needed, as overcrowding the pan stops it getting crispy.
- Chicken thighs work well too and stay extra juicy.
- Add more chilli flakes for extra heat, or leave them out for a milder, family-friendly version.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute or two until lightly golden.
- Serve with steamed rice, egg fried rice or noodles.
Storage
This chicken is best enjoyed fresh, while it is still crispy. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and reheat in a hot pan or oven until piping hot.
Allergy information: Contains egg, soy, wheat (in soy sauce) and sesame.
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