Lemon Fire Chicken

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This Lemon Fire Chicken is all about clean heat and sharp citrus. The chicken is marinated simply with lemon, garlic, and ginger, grilled until deeply rendered, then finished in a glossy lemon-chile sauce that actually delivers spice.

The heat here comes from ground dried chiles and chili oil. The sauce tightens quickly in the pan, coating the chicken in a sticky glaze that hits bright up front and lingers on the finish.

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The key is keeping the marinade clean and pushing all the heat into the sauce. This gives you full control over spice level while letting the grilled chicken stay juicy and balanced underneath.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Knife

• Skillet or Deep pan

• Mixing Bowl

• Microplane/Zester

• Citrus Juicer

• Strainer

• Instant-read thermometer

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: MARINATE

• Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, garlic, and ginger.

• Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly.

• Cover and marinate for 4–12 hours.

STEP 2: COOK

• Grill the chicken over medium heat flipping occasionally.

  • Boneless thighs: 12-15 mins

  • Bone-in Wings: 20-25 mins

• Alternatively, the chicken can be cooked at 400°F in the air fryer or oven.

  • Boneless thighs: for 25-30 mins with a flip halfway through.

  • Bone-in Wings: 35-45 mins with a flip halfway through.

• The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 175°F.

STEP 3: SAUCE

• Add chili oil to a skillet over medium heat.

• Add the garlic and ginger and sauté just until fragrant and just beginning to brown.

• Quickly add the lemon juice, honey, and soy sauce so the garlic doesn’t burn.

• Add the ground dried chiles and butter.

• Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened and glossy.

• Add the cooked chicken to the pan and toss until sticky and fully coated.

• Finish with fresh lemon zest and serve with sliced lemon.

SAUCE CONSISTENCY

Note this sauce is a sticky glaze, not a super thick sauce. To make it thick, mix together 1 TBSP cornstarch + 2 TBSP cold water in a small bowl, then mix with the sauce at the end. 

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INGREDIENTS

Makes 4-5 servings

MARINADE

• 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs or 2.5-3 lbs bone-in wings

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce

• 1½ TBSP honey

• 1 TBSP olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

LEMON FIRE SAUCE

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 3 TBSP honey

• 2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 TBSP chili oil

• 12 dried chile de árbol, finely ground

• 18 dried chile pequín, finely ground

  • SUBSTITUTE: 1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes in place of chile de árbol and pequín.

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 3 TBSP unsalted butter

SERVING

• Serve with 2-3 sliced lemons for squeezing over chicken when plated.

MILD OPTION

• For a milder version, use 3–4 dried chile de árbol and 6–8 dried chile pequín, or substitute 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.

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