20-Minute Pan-Fried Lemon Garlic Chicken
This Lemon Garlic Chicken is a healthy and refreshing chicken dish for hot days that takes only 20 minutes! Inspired by Malaysia’s spicy lemon chicken, this recipe is a pan-fried version of the popular dish. This tart, savory chicken reminds me so much of my travels, and I keep making this for a quick lunchbox addition or dinner again and again!
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My Quick Version of Malaysian Spicy Lemon Chicken
I first tried Malaysian Spicy Lemon Chicken on my trip with my husband around Southeast Asia. A popular dish in Malaysia, you can often find this dish in hawker centers. Traditionally, the chicken is battered and fried before cooking with lemon and spices. It’s tart, savory, and so refreshing, especially in the heat.
I found myself really craving this garlicky, lemony flavor one day, but had only 20 minutes to cook and eat. So, I decided to pan fry the chicken instead of deep frying it to save some time. It turned out so well, I’ve kept making this version since. It uses less oil, and is easy in a pinch.
Seasoned with garlic, red onion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, cornstarch, black pepper, and of course, LEMON, this chicken is great with rice, or on it’s own as a snack!
Lemon Garlic Chicken Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs skin on (optional), boneless, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 2.5 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce optional
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Black pepper to season
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 10-15 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
Deboned Chicken Thigh for Lemon Garlic Chicken
Chicken thigh is such an versatile protein to use for this lemon garlic chicken! I love using chicken thigh with skin on because it adds so much extra flavor. The extra fattiness of thighs makes the chicken so moist after cooking. If you prefer chicken breast, you can also replace that in this recipe.
If you’re having a hard time finding deboned chicken thigh, it’s super easy to do yourself at home! It takes only 5 minutes. I made Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken a while ago, and I showed you all how to debone your bone-in chicken thighs. Nothing goes to waste though – because I save the bones to make chicken stock later.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Marinate chicken with soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, black pepper, and cornstarch. Set it aside for at least 5 minutes or when you prepare all the ingredients.
- In a pan, drizzle in oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Pan fry the chicken for 6-7 minutes or chicken the chicken is slightly brown.
- Next, add in sliced onion and garlic, saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion has soften and become fragrant
- Turn the heat to high, and Finish off by adding in sliced lemon, and chopped cilantro, saute on high heat for 1 minute.
More Southeast Asia inspired dishes you can make at home:
Garlic Lemon Chicken
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs skin on (optional), boneless, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 2.5 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce optional
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Black pepper to season
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 10-15 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Marinate chicken with soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, black pepper, and cornstarch. Set it aside for at least 5 minutes or when you prepare all the ingredients.
- In a pan, drizzle in oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Pan fry the chicken for 6-7 minutes or chicken the chicken is slightly brown.
- Next, add in sliced onion and garlic, saute for 2-3 minutes or until onion has soften and become fragrant
- Turn the heat to high, and Finish off by adding in sliced lemon, and chopped cilantro, saute on high heat for 1 minute.
Made this last night. It was so good! Definitely a keepr!
I made the Garlic Lemon Chicken for dinner this evening, wow, the savory flavors really shine in this dish, and the fresh chopped cilantro and lemon slices are a delicious contrast. This recipe is a wonderful keeper! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Very yummy. Tiff is a very good chef.
I made this, but with chicken breast. So easy and so much flavor. Fantastic dish!
Oh my goodness – so good!! The lemon adds so much brightness to the dish, and I love how the marinade caramelizes as it cooks (don’t move the chicken around too much!) My 9-year-old son has never been a fan of stir fry before because most sauces are too sweet for him, but this was so well balanced between sweet, salty, fresh, and tangy. This will be going on our weeknight rotation!
Delicious and easy! Definitely a weekly rotation. Thank you for sharing these amazing recipes!
Excellent! Additions I made: Fresh basil, red pepper, celery. As it cooked, the marinade began sticking to the pan do I added water. Truly a marvellous dish; so many flavours. Yummy!
Brilliant dish, easy to make and very, very tasty!! the lemon is fabulous with it thank you !!! I sent a dish over to the neighbor. I put it with Japanese rice. She thinks she’s in heaven.!!!
Wow just wow sooo yummy I read the comments on YouTube and I had a lemon that I had already zested, I cut that and put it through in the last minute. This is so delicious that pop of lemon at the end is gorgeous such a fantastic meal that I will definitely make again, thanks Tiff.
I’ve made this a few times and it’s an easy weeknight choice that also freezes and defrosts well
Tried this recipe tonight, it was so easy to make and full of flavour. I did not have a lemon so substituted about a 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. It was so good 👍
Tasty and easy to make! Thank you!