This Lemoncello Chicken is even better than take out.
And healthier too since there is no batter or deep frying going on. But there is no compromise on flavor! You can make this at any time of the year since the ingredients are all readily accessible!
This is so good you can make an entire Chinese meal at home with very little muss and fuss… Buy some spring rolls, make this perfect rice and steam some broccoli and you have a better-than-takeout-meal! Fresh asparagus would also work well with the lemon sauce.
The recipe calls for lemoncello liqueur. It is a delightful, refreshing Italian liqueur that is often served in the spring at Easter time. It adds a bit of tang to this dish so I do recommend going to the trouble of finding it. And.. once you have made this you will want to make it again and again! If you don’t want alcohol in your sauce then use fresh lemon juice instead.
This dish is nice at any time of year but it is particularly nice in the spring when we are all looking for fresh flavors. It is pictured below with Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy With Garlic.
What wine to serve with Chinese or Thai?
Pairing wine with the sweetness of Chinese food can be tricky. My go to is a Gewurztraminer wine. The grape is traditionally associated with Germany but Canada makes fantastic Gewurztraminers too. I like Pelee Islands Gewurztraminer in particular. It is a very specific taste however and may not be for all palates. It does pair with Chinese or Thai foods because it is off dry and a good one will have a nice sugar/acid balance so it is not cloying.
Other choices would be a Riesling for the same reason that they are usually just off dry with balancing acid and fruitiness that would complement the lemon sauce.
Chardonnay would typically be too dry but a wine that is described as aromatic and rich should be fruity enough to stand up to the sauce. I think Hob Nob Chardonnay would work with this dish too.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 egg white
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Lemon Sauce
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice fresh is best
- 1/4 cup lemoncello liqueur
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsps lemon zest
- 2 tsps cornstarch
- 2 tsps water
- 1 Tbsp toased sesame oil
- 1/4 cup toasted almond slices
Instructions
- Dice chicken breasts into 1 1/2 " cubes.
- Beat the egg white and cornstarch with a fork to mix.
- Stir it into chicken cubes and marinate 30 minutes.
- While chicken is marinating, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread almond slices in single layer in an oven proof dish. Toast about 10 minutes. Check after 8 minutes. Do not let them burn. Remove when they are golden brown.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Drain chicken cubes and add to water. Simmer about 2 minutes then remove the chicken chunks.
Sauce
- Heat vegetable oil in skillet and fry garlic a minute or so just until golden.
- Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, liqueur, sugar, soya sauce and zest to the skillet and bring to a boil.
- Add water to the cornstarch to dissolve. Add to the sauce in the skillet and stir over medium high heat until the sauce thickens. Add the sesame oil and the chicken chunks. Let chicken reheat through about 3-5 minutes in the sauce.
- Garnish chicken and sauce with toasted almonds. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli.
Nutrition
Want to make the limoncello chicken for sure! Made homemade limoncello last year and made limoncello bread pudding with it, then drank the rest.
Great idea to drink the rest! HA! If you are happy with your recipe for Lemoncello would you care to share it? I can put it up for all to enjoy!!