Chinese Style Baked Lemon Chicken
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Chicken
Sauce
Garnish
Instructions
Chicken
  1. Slice chicken thighs into bite-sized, even pieces (about 1-inch chunks).
  2. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the ¼ tsp baking soda, a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes. This technique tenderizes the meat, so it stays juicy while baking.
  3. Shake cornstarch over the seasoned chicken. Toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated in a dry, dusty layer.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or place a wire rack inside a baking sheet & grease it lightly with cooking spray.
  5. Spread the coated chicken out in a single layer on the tray, making sure the pieces do not touch. Spacing them out ensures they bake up crispy instead of steaming.
  6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through, until they are golden brown & fully cooked through.
Lemon Sauce
  1. While the chicken bakes, whisk together lemon juice, soy sauce, chicken stock, honey, garlic & ground ginger in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. In a separate tiny bowl or cup, mix the 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp of cold water until smooth. Set this aside.
  2. Pour the liquid base into a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle simmer. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir & pour it into the simmering sauce. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the sauce bubbles, clears up & thickens into a glossy glaze. Turn the heat down to low.
Toss/Serve
  1. As soon as the chicken comes out of the oven, transfer the hot, crispy pieces directly into the skillet with the warm lemon sauce. Toss quickly so every piece of chicken is totally glazed. Remove from the heat & place onto a serving platter. Sprinkle the sliced green onions & toasted sesame seeds (if using) over the top. Serve immediately over warm rice.