I met pollo al limone — chicken limone — in a tiny side-street restaurant in Rome, one of those places you find by following your nose. Tender pieces of chicken in a glossy, tangy-sweet lemon sauce: love at first bite, and the recipe I pestered the chef into sharing before we left.
His secret, which surprised me, was a splash of soy sauce in the lemon sauce — not remotely traditional, but it deepens the flavor without announcing itself. The cornstarch gives the sauce that silky cling that makes every piece of chicken shine.
It has become one of my favorite quick dinners: 40 minutes, one pan, and a sauce you will want to spoon over everything on the plate.
Chicken Limone Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~235 per serving
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds chicken breast
- All-purpose flour, as needed
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- Fresh oregano, to finish
- For the lemon sauce:
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Scant ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- ¾ cup water
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- Fine salt, to taste
Instructions
- Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice, straining out the pulp and seeds.
- Trim the chicken breast, halve it, and cut it into strips and then bite-sized pieces.
- Coat the chicken in flour, pressing so it adheres.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the chicken for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove and set aside.
- Whisk together the cornstarch, water, sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice, and pour into the same pan.
- Let the sauce thicken for about a minute, whisking, then return the chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Finish with the lemon zest and fresh oregano.
Recipe Notes
- Bell peppers, broccoli or a knob of ginger turn it into a fuller stir-fry.
- Serve over rice or noodles, with sesame seeds or chopped nuts for crunch.
- Roasted potatoes, green beans or a lemony salad are more Mediterranean pairings.
- Crusty bread for the sauce is never a mistake.
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