Honey Lemon Chicken

As a reflection of my multi-ethnic household growing up, this easy weeknight meal is like a mashup of Lemon Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore, and Barbecued Chicken. I’m not sure if this was something my mom came up with or a recipe she found along the way, but I haven’t seen anything similar elsewhere, and it’s a wonderfully simple yet flavorful dish that I wanted to share.

The chicken is seasoned and pan-fried with garlic before being coated in a sweet, tart sauce that’s loaded with mouth pleasing umami and the fresh zing of lemon. Served with rice and green veggies, it’s a quick meal that comes together in a matter of minutes, and yet it’s both comforting and satisfying.

Cut of Chicken

I like to use bone-in skin-on chicken thigh for this as the skin keeps the chicken moist while preventing the meat from getting tough as it pan-fries. If you’re not a fan of chicken skin, skinless thighs will work as well. As for breast meat, it’s tricky to ensure it’s cooked through, without drying it out, which is why I don’t recommend using it for this recipe.

Coating the Chicken

To prep the chicken I apply a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper to both sides. This ensures the chicken is well seasoned while providing a savory contrast to the tangy sweet glaze. Then, a light dusting of flour not only helps the chicken brown, but it also provides a surface for the honey lemon sauce to cling to. If you want to make this gluten-free, almost any flour (rice, chickpea, etc.) should do the trick.

Honey Lemon Sauce

In my mom’s version of honey lemon chicken, she used a combination of ketchup, brown sugar and lemon juice for the sauce. It made for a sweet, sour and savory taste that’s like a lighter, fresher barbecue sauce.

I’ve swapped out tomato paste for the ketchup, and honey for the brown sugar. The result is a more grown-up take on this childhood favorite that’s more tangy than sweet. Using honey also retains the vibrant color of the tomato paste, while adding a glossy sheen to the glaze.

I’ve also added some white wine to the sauce, which adds a bit more acidity along with some fruity notes that compliment the tomatoes and lemon.

The Seasonings

For seasonings, I went with simple to keep it close to mom’s recipe, but this can easily be embellished with herbs such as minced rosemary or basil. I also avoided adding any heat to keep it kid-friendly, but this is fantastic with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce to turn it into chili lemon chicken.

Cooking Lemon Honey Chicken

The cooking process is pretty straightforward with a quick pan-fry to brown the chicken, followed by a short braise in the sauce to cook the chicken through. I like to add the garlic to the pan at the same time as the chicken as it gives it a chance to caramelize while the chicken browns, without burning it.

Once the chicken is browned on both sides, the sauce goes in, and the pan is covered for 7-8 minutes to ensure it’s cooked through. When the meat is done, I remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce and caramelize it around the outside of the chicken. This produces a glaze that not only concentrates the flavors in the sauce, but it also gives the dish a stunning sheen.

The final difference with my mom’s recipe is that I like to finish my Lemon Honey Chicken off with a sprinkle of lemon zest. Adding it at the end makes for a colorful garnish while preserving the fresh fragrance of the lemon, which you can enjoy with each bite.