Asian Style Chicken Nuggets with Lemon Glaze
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Bite-sized chicken nuggets with a lemon glaze that is out of this world! Seriously. This sauce is EPIC.
Why does bite-sized food always taste so much better?
I think maybe it’s because your mind doesn’t process it as a large amount of food since you can simply pop a bite here and there – hence, you can eat more of it.
It’s crazy, I know.
But that’s why these little nuggets are super dangerous. And when you glaze it off with the lemon goodness, you’ll be hooked forever.
Sorry, I’m not sorry.
Asian Style Chicken Nuggets with Lemon Glaze
Bite-sized chicken nuggets with a lemon glaze that is out of this world! Seriously. This sauce is EPIC.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch chunks*
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the lemon glaze
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and green onions.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine rice vinegar mixture and chicken; marinate for at least 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally. Drain chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- To make the glaze, combine rice vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water over medium low heat. Bring to a boil, simmering until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve chicken immediately, tossed or drizzled with the lemon glaze, garnished with lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
*Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be substituted.
Did you make this recipe?
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Could you substitute monkfruit sweetener for the sugar for diabetics?
Just wondering if six chicken thighs is the correct amount. Seems a little on the small side.
Amazing recipe! Thanks for sharing!
I am going to try recipe as written then I will experiment in air fryer. I will report back.
Hi Lyn,
Did you try it on the air fryer? Thanks!
I am going to make this very soon. It looks fabulous. I make many of DD recipes they never disappoint. Can I make this in my air fryer? Thanks
Lyn, any suggestions for air frying?
Made this tonight. The sauce is amazing! I tweak it a little with extra chicken, sauce and added vegetables to rice but very yummy!
I have never tried frying chicken in oil. At what temperature should the oil be to fully cook the chicken without burning the coating? I’m slowly trying as many of your recipes as possible hoping to find some new meal ideas for my picky eater son. Thanks for all the inspiration!
I like to use a combination of corn starch and potato starch when making a gluten free coating. Once you coat your chicken let it rest on a wire rack until the mix no longer looks dry. About 30 minutes. This will ensure your coating does not come off in the oil. Please note, this will not brown as dark as a gluten coating, but it will be nice and crunchy.
Could this be made gluten free by substituting corn starch for the flour?
I like to use a combination of corn starch and potato starch when making a gluten free coating. Once you coat your chicken let it rest on a wire rack until the mix no longer looks dry. About 30 minutes. This will ensure your coating does not come off in the oil. Please note, this will not brown as dark as a gluten coating, but it will be nice and crunchy.
This was wonderful! I think I cooked my sauce too long! It came out very bitter! It started with a nice sweet and lemony taste, but didn’t end well! Any tips to improve my sauce? The chicken marinade turned out great!
P.s. thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes! We’ve loved every recipe we have tried!!
You can try to add more sugar to offset the bitterness. Hope that helps, Kaleigh!
Can this chicken be marinated overnight?
I do not recommend marinating for more than 8 hours.
Did you use mirin sauce or wine ? Thanks !
Hi Jennifer. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons mirin.
OMG – I made this last night for dinner and it did not disappoint. Amazing! Thank you so much!!
I made this last night…. the chicken was great but we both felt the Lemon Sauce was overpowering. Next time I will try with Orange instead. Your photography is spot on…. I used to be a Food Stylist and appreciate what you do!!!
What is mirin? And where do I find it?
Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine. It can be found in most grocery stores in the Asian food aisle. Hope that helps!
Nice!!! They should sell this kind more often! (:
I am unable to save to Pinterest. I never had a problem until a few weeks ago. You used to have a Pinterest symbol in the picture and I was able to save your recipes. I have tried everything I can think and no success.
Please help, l sure do appreciate.
Dee, thank you for letting me know. We are looking into this issue right now. Thank you for your patience!
What would you serve with this recipe?
My absolute favorite side dish is the garlic parmesan roasted potatoes. But please feel free to check out all of my side dish recipes here.
I know this is an old comment – but I served mine over white rice and it helped mellow out the lemon glaze.
Trying this recipe tonight! I’ve made many of your recipes! Thank you for sharing! When it comes to Asian chicken, the texture I prefer is a cornstarch breading vs flour. What is your take on this and can this be used for this recipe?
Yes, absolutely.
This looks amazing! I’m going to make this asap!!