Description
Sticky Honey Lemon Chicken is a flavorful and crispy chicken stir-fry glazed with a tangy and sweet honey lemon sauce. This dish features tender bite-sized chicken pieces coated in cornstarch and fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a sticky sauce with fresh ginger, garlic, and a hint of chili flakes. Garnished with scallions and toasted sesame seeds, it makes for a delightful main course perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Stir-Fry Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated or minced
- garnishes: thinly-sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds
Honey Lemon Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (1/4 cup juice)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
Instructions
- Mix the lemon sauce: Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
- Coat the chicken: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and egg until smooth. Add the chicken pieces and toss thoroughly to coat. Place the cornstarch in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the cornstarch, a few at a time, tossing until coated on all sides.
- Sauté the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, frying for 3 to 5 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- Cook the sauce: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour in the lemon sauce and add the chicken back to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and forms a sticky coating on the chicken.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with thinly-sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for more flavor and juiciness or chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- To make this dish gluten free, substitute low-sodium tamari or coconut aminos for soy sauce.
- Make sure the pan is hot enough before adding chicken to get a crispy coating but avoid burning the cornstarch coating.
- Cook chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding and steaming instead of frying.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red chili flakes to control the heat level.
- For a thicker sauce, allow it to simmer a little longer until it reaches the desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
