Trim excess fat from the skinless chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces (about 2–3 cm wide). Place into a bowl.
Add 1 tbsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sweetener, 1g salt, 2g black pepper, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Mix thoroughly by hand to evenly coat the chicken. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
Cut the lemon in half. Slice one half thinly for garnish. Squeeze juice from the other half (about 25g) and mix with finely chopped Thai chili. Chop cilantro and set aside.
Add 5g oil to a non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer to ensure each piece makes contact with the pan. Sear for 2–3 minutes until browned on one side, then flip and cook another 2–3 minutes. Depending on the size of the pieces, cook an additional 1–2 minutes until fully done.
Pour in the lemon juice and chili mixture, stir to combine. Turn off the heat, add lemon slices and chopped cilantro, toss, and serve.
Chicken thighs often have large visible fat chunks. Taking the time to trim them can significantly reduce calories.
A sweetener is used in place of sugar to balance the tartness of lemon—taste-wise, there’s no noticeable difference.
Coating the meat in cornstarch helps retain its juices during cooking and gives a more even browning. It can also add a subtle crispness to the surface. If you’re watching calories closely, you can skip it.
Adjust the amount of lemon juice depending on the acidity of your lemon and personal taste. The lemon slices are mostly decorative and can be omitted. Cilantro can be replaced with chopped scallions if preferred.
When searing, make sure each piece contacts the pan and avoid frequent flipping. This helps create a caramelized crust that locks in moisture, yielding tender, juicy meat even in a non-stick pan.
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