Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Lebanese Lemon Garlic Chicken – Al Aseel Recipe
This Lemon Garlic Chicken is a copycat of a signature dish at Al Aseel, a preferred Lebanese restaurant in Sydney. Tender marinated chicken smothered in a particular lemon garlic sauce, it’s outrageously good and making it at dwelling is simple!
Al Aseel proudly declares itself to be “Sydney’s greatest Lebanese restaurant” – a daring declare, however who am I to argue? I haven’t personally tried each Lebanese spot in Sydney (although that feels like a problem I’d fortunately settle for!).
What I do know is that their signature Lemon Garlic Chicken has a little bit of a cult following, and when a reader requested me to recreate it, I used to be comfortable to oblige.
Plus, it turned out to be surprisingly simple to recreate. A pleasant reprieve after the 48 variations it took to create final weeks’ Chocolate Chip Cookies!
The important thing ingredient on this Al Aseel copycat recipe is yogurt. It’s used within the garlicky marinade (yogurt is a superb flavour service, as Greek Gyros followers can attest) , it makes the flavour follow the chicken because it sears, and it’s the bottom of the creamy garlic lemon sauce that smothers the chicken.
By the best way, the Lemon Garlic Yogurt Sauce is served heat, which could sound a bit uncommon (heat yogurt??), however please belief. I assumed the identical the primary time I attempted this dish at Al Aseel, and comfortable to seek out I used to be utterly improper – it’s fabulous!
Right here’s what it is advisable make this.
For the marinade
I don’t know if Al Aseel makes use of a yogurt marinade, however it’s a wonderful flavour service and tenderiser. The chicken is so juicy inside, you may be amazed. (Juicier than on the restaurant).
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Chicken tenderloin – fast and simple to chop into the best form in order that they sit flat on the pan, and the completed dish appears like Al Aseel’s. It’s additionally extra tender than chicken breast, although you should utilize breast in a pinch (the marinade does wonders with tenderising). Thighs additionally work, although they aren’t as uniform in form as tenderloin or breast.
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Yogurt – Greek or plain yogurt, unsweetened, is a superb flavour service for marinades to get the garlic infused during each bit. It additionally creates a pleasant coating so the tasty flavours sticks to the floor of the chicken. Full fats please!
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Lemon – The acid within the marinade that helps tenderise, in addition to including tangy lemon flavour.
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Olive oil – So as to add a little bit of richness and dilute the acidity of the lemon a bit so it doesn’t “prepare dinner” the chicken.
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Salt and pepper – for seasoning the chicken.
The lemon garlic sauce
Make this when you’ve received every part out for the marinade as a result of it makes use of the identical components! In truth, the flavour within the sauce wants time to meld so must be made no less than 1 hour forward.
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Yogurt – Utilizing full fats is crucial right here. Low fats has a “watery” mouthfeel to it.
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Tahini – I don’t suppose Al Aseel makes use of tahini, I believe they combine yogurt with toum which is a Lebanese garlic dip made with numerous oil. A small quantity of tahini as an alternative gives mouthfeel richness with out overtaking the sauce with sesame flavour.
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Olive oil – To offer the sauce a little bit of richness.
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Garlic – Unusually, I’m going to ask you to measured the garlic utilizing teaspoons as a result of uncooked garlic in a sauce like this may be fairly harsh. I take advantage of 3/4 teaspoons of finely grated or garlic minced utilizing a garlic press. If utilizing a knife, finely chop then smear the garlic on the board utilizing the aspect of the knife to make a paste, then measure.
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Water – To skinny the sauce barely, to make it drizzle-able (is {that a} phrase?).
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Salt and pepper – For seasoning.
Salt be aware: the recipe requires 1 teaspoon of salt in every the marinade and sauce. I began with much less however felt it was below salted for each, then saved dialling it up and landed on a teaspoon for every. It’s not salty, I promise.
Marinating time apart, it’s really very fast as a result of there’s not that many components!
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Marinade chicken for 12 to 24 hours. Past 24 hours, there’s diminishing returns (ie further time doesn’t make it extra tender or extra flavourful) so whereas okay to maintain it for two days within the fridge, past that I’d freeze it as an alternative.
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Cook dinner – Drain off the surplus marinade out of the bowl then prepare dinner the chicken items for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on both sides till golden. I do it in 2 batches as a result of for those who litter the pan, the chicken will go watery and braise as an alternative of sear. We wish the golden color!
PS The recipe requires the items to be lower pretty massive as a result of each bit is turned one after the other. It’s a ache individually turning a great deal of tiny items!
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Relaxation – Switch the cooked chicken onto a plate and after the second batch is cooked, let it relaxation for two minutes. This resting time permits the juices to settle again into the chicken fibres so that you get actually juicy chicken flesh inside. You can be stunned. I used to be!
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Lemon garlic sauce – That is as simple as mixing the components collectively, setting apart for no less than an hour to let the garlic flavour meld, then heating the sauce gently solely to heat within the microwave.
Nonetheless, as a result of the components within the sauce are the identical because the chicken marinade, it’s fairly helpful to only combine it up concurrently the marinade then simply refrigerate it till required.
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Plating up – Al Aseel model! Pour half the yogurt sauce right into a shallow bowl or a plate. Then switch the chicken onto the sauce utilizing a spatula or spoon – don’t pour it them off the plate because the resting juices on the plate tarnish your glowing white sauce.
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Garnish – High with remaining yogurt sauce, drizzle with olive oil and end with a pinch of parsley. Then serve!
For me, Lebanese bread for sauce mopping is a should, plus then you definately even have the choice to make wraps full of the tasty chicken items smothered within the lemon garlic sauce. Rice can also be a very good choice. Basmati can be my choose although any plain rice would work (there’s actually loads of sauce for rice soaking).
For those who’re after one thing extra adventurous on the rice entrance, strive Mejadra (Center Japanese spiced lentil rice), Garlic rice or Rice Pilaf with Nuts and Dried Fruit.
Add a perky recent salad on the aspect (strive Lebanese Fattoush or this Ottolenghi one, generally I skip the chickpeas), and a superb Lebanese feast at dwelling is completely inside attain even on a midweek! And if there are any die-hard Al Aseel followers studying this, I’d like to understand how you suppose my model stacks up. – Johnsat x
PS I omitted dessert – as a result of I don’t have any strictly conventional Lebanese dessert recipes – although Baklava, Persian Love Cake or Pistachio Cake can be my picks if I have been trying to impress.
Ingredients
- 500g/ 1lb chicken tenderloin (or breast), cut into 4cm / 1.5″ squares, large vein cut out (Note 1)
- 4 tbsp Greek or plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic , finely grated or crushed using garlic press (~4 big cloves)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (1/2 tsp table salt, 1 1/4 tsp flakes)
- 1 cup Greek or plain yogurt , full fat essential here!
- 3/4 tsp garlic , finely grated or crushed using garlic press (~1 clove)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini (hulled), or extra 1 tbsp olive oil (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp+ water
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (1/2 tsp table salt, 1 1/4 tsp flakes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil , for cooking
- 1 tsp parsley , roughly chopped (or equal amounts mint and parsley)
- Lemon wedges and extra virgin olive oil , for garnish
- Lebanese bread for sauce mopping (recommended)
Instructions
- Marinade chicken 12 – 24 hrs. Cook in 2 batches. Whisk sauce, rest 1 hr, warm just before serving. Smother chicken, serve!
- Marinade – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat then refrigerate to marinate for 12 – 24 hours (Note 2).
- Sauce – Put the sauce ingredients in a microwaveable bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside for 1 hour + to let the garlic flavour meld. (Note 4)
- Cook chicken – Drain off excess marinade from the chicken. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Place half the chicken in and cook for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove onto a plate.
- Repeat – Scrape out / roughly wipe loose black bits out of the pan. Reheat remaining oil and cook remaining chicken. Rest for 2 minutes.
- Warm sauce – While the chicken is resting, microwave for 40 seconds to warm (but not hot) then give it a good whisk. Taste and add more lemon for tangier, or more water to loosen (some yogurts are thicker than others).
- Serving – Spread half the sauce in a shallow bowl. Use a spatula to transfer the chicken onto the yogurt. Spoon over remaining sauce, finish with a swish of olive oil and sprinkle of parsley. Serve!
Notes
1. Tenderloin – I cut larger pieces into 4 and smaller into 3, don’t cut too small, pain to turn so many pieces over one by one. Cut the thick white vein out of the piece from the thicker end (it gets thinner so it doesn’t bother me in the other pieces).
Breast – cut the small pointy end off (that can be one piece) then slice the rest lengthways into 1.5cm / 0.6″ thick slices, then into 4cm/1.5″ squares.
Boneless thighs also work. Cut or even cook them whole (you could do about 750g/1.5lb)
2. Marinating time – up to 48 hrs is fine but beyond 24 hrs doesn’t add anything. Absolute minimum is 3 hrs though obviously not quite as tender, it still has good flavour on the surface.
3. Tahini – Don’t think Al Aseel uses tahini, I think they mix yogurt with toum which is a Lebanese garlic dip made with a lot of oil. A small amount of tahini instead provides mouthfeel richness without overwhelming sesame flavour. Substitute with an extra 1 tbsp of olive oil.
4. Sauce – I usually make it at the same time as the marinade then keep it in the fridge overnight. If I only leave it for 1 hour, I just leave on the counter.
Leftovers will keep 3 days in the fridge.
Making ahead – Chicken can be mixed in marinade and put in freezer straight away, it will marinade while thawing overnight. Sauce can be mixed the day before, refrigerate then warm before serving.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and all the sauce is consumed.
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