Cantonese Lemon Chicken

Cantonese Lemon Chicken is a popular sweet and tangy dish featuring crispy, battered chicken pieces coated in a vibrant, glossy lemon sauce. It typically includes chicken breast or thigh, a light batter, and a sauce made from lemon juice, sugar, and sometimes a hint of garlic or ginger. This dish is a staple in Cantonese cuisine, often found in Chinese restaurants worldwide.

🍳 View the full Cantonese Lemon Chicken recipe →

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

The dish is moderately high in carbohydrates from the batter and sugary sauce, with a good amount of protein from the chicken. It provides a quick energy boost and some essential nutrients like vitamin C from the lemon, but is generally calorie-dense, with a rough ballpark of 400-600 calories per serving.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	450 kcal
Protein	28 g
Carbs	35 g
Fat	22 g
Fiber	1.5 g
Sugar	12 g
Sodium	850 mg
Potassium	380 mg
Phosphorus	220 mg
Vitamin B6	0.5 mg
Niacin (B3)	8 mg
Selenium	25 mcg
Vitamin C	10 mg
Iron	1.8 mg
Zinc	2.5 mg

Per 1 serving (300 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, it showcases the Cantonese skill in balancing sweet, sour, and savory flavors, making it a crowd-pleaser. Nutritionally, the lemon sauce adds a refreshing twist that can aid digestion, though the batter and sugar make it more of an indulgent treat than a health food.