Description
A quick and easy recipe for Sticky Asian Lemon Chicken, combining crispy popcorn chicken with a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy lemon sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
-
- 1 & 1/2 pounds cooked popcorn chicken
Sauce
-
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced (green part and white part separated)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Thickener
- Cornstarch slurry: 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked together
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cook the popcorn chicken in the oven according to the directions on the packaging. Once cooked, set it aside.
- Heat the oil: In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat up.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the white part of the green onions, garlic, ginger, and optional chili flakes to the heated oil. Stir constantly and cook until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.
- Make the sauce: Add the water, granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Thicken the sauce: Bring the mixture to a simmer. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the cornstarch slurry. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Toss the chicken: Add the cooked popcorn chicken to the skillet. Toss the chicken in the sauce until it’s evenly coated and warmed through.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the green part of the sliced green onions as garnish before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Medium-High Heat: Perfect for getting that golden-brown crispy chicken.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: It makes a big difference in the flavor of the sauce.
- Cornstarch Slurry: The key to thickening the sauce just right.
- Stir Fry Veggies: Toss in some veggies like broccoli or snap peas for a complete meal.
- Let Sauce Simmer: Give it time to thicken and reduce for the best flavor.
- You may need to add a splash more water to loosen up the sauce when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
