Lemon Chicken
We adore a Fakeaway and our slimming friendly Lemon Chicken is one of our favourites – great if you're calorie counting or following a plan like Weight Watchers!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories201
- Carbs15g
- Protein30g
- Fat2g
- Saturates0.5g
- Sugars7g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
We love a fakeaway and our slimming friendly Lemon Chicken is one of our absolute favourites!
A Chinese takeaway is the perfect weekend treat, but these are often packed with calories which means they’re not always an option if you’re calorie counting or following a plan like Weight Watchers.
We may be a little biased, but we think that our Lemon Chicken tastes even better than the version you’d get from your local Chinese!
It’s also low on calories and super quick to make – ideal for when you’ve had a busy day or don’t feel like cooking anything too complicated.
What diets is this Lemon Chicken suitable for?
This Lemon Chicken recipe is suitable for gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for gluten free versions:
- Stock cubes
You can also enjoy this Lemon Chicken if you’re dairy-free without having to make any swaps.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Lemon Chicken?
You can buy all of the ingredients for this tasty, Chinese inspired dish at your local supermarket.
We use xanthan gum to thicken the sauce. It’s a great alternative to corn flour, low in calories and gluten free!
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You can find xanthan gum in the “free from” aisle at your supermarket. You only need a tiny amount so make sure to just add a little at a time!
We love eating this dish with some chopsticks like these – but you can definitely use a fork if you’d prefer!
How many calories are in this Lemon Chicken?
There are 201 calories per portion in this Lemon Chicken, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Lemon Chicken is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Spray the frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the onions, chilli and chicken on a medium heat.
Step 2
When the onion has softened and the chicken browned, slightly remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3
Add the stock, onion powder and no added sugar lemon squash to the pan and bring to the boil.
Step 4
Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Place half the sauce into a jug and whisk in the xanthan gum a 1/4 of a tsp at a time. You will need to whisk well – and keep whisking!
Step 5
When the right consistency is achieved, return the sauce to the pan and add the chicken.
Step 6
Add the lemon slices and cook gently for another 5 minutes.
Step 7
Stir in the pineapple and remove from the heat immediately.
Step 8
Taste, and add a little granulated sweetener if it’s a bit too sour.
Step 9
Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
What could I serve with this Lemon Chicken?
Some boiled rice or any of the following accompaniments are the perfect addition to this dish.
How do you know when Lemon Chicken is cooked?
You should cook this dish until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. The sauce should be thickened, glossy and delish!
This will take around 20 minutes on the hob.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Lemon Chicken in the fridge?
Once you’ve served this dish, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Lemon Chicken in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Lemon Chicken?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Lemon Chicken?
From chilled: Place in a microwave proof container with loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Lemon Chicken
We adore a Fakeaway and our slimming friendly Lemon Chicken is one of our favourites – great if you’re calorie counting or following a plan like Weight Watchers!
-
Prep Time
5 MINS
-
Cook Time
20 MINS
- KCals 201
- Carbs 15G
Instructions
- Spray the frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the onions, chilli and chicken on a medium heat.
- When the onion has softened and the chicken has browned slightly, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the stock, onion powder and no added sugar lemon squash to the pan and bring to the boil.
- Allow to simmer for a few minutes. Place half of the sauce into a jug and whisk in the xanthan gum a 1/4 of a tsp at a time. You will need to whisk well - and keep whisking!
- When the right consistency is achieved, return the sauce to the pan and add the chicken.
- Add the lemon slices and cook gently for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the pineapple and remove from the heat immediately.
- Taste, and add a little granulated sweetener if it's a bit too sour.
- Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
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53 comments
See what others have to say
MazSunday 14th January 2024
Can you use tinned pineapple?
HollyMonday 5th February 2024
Hey Maz, yes you can use fresh or tinned pineapple in this recipe, hope that helps!
kaitlynSaturday 22nd July 2023
I only have double strength squash will this work or will i need to adjust?
Thanks in advance!
Cheryl LloydThursday 1st February 2024
You would need to use less of the double strength squash 😊
Karen HillSunday 3rd April 2022
I can’t wait to try this Lemon chicken, but not heard of
xanthan gum?
Where can I get this from? 😊
Karen
HollyTuesday 5th April 2022
Hey Karen, You can find xanthan gum in the “free from” aisle at most supermarkets or it’s available online. Hope that helps!
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