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There’s something about sweet and spicy that just works, especially when it’s on some fried chicken. So, today I want to share with you one of the first fried chicken recipes I learned. I remember making this as a little youngin… maybe I was 10 or maybe I was 13, honestly don’t remember, though I’m not sure how I got away with frying chicken at such a young age, hahaha. Then again, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to experiment with foods when I was so young, it definitely helped expand my palette and fueled my passion for cooking. So thank you to my mom for not kicking me out of the kitchen 😅😂 Nevertheless, let’s get started with today’s recipe, shall we?

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds cubed chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1 egg
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

For Honey Sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup Honey
  • 3 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

Directions:

First things first, we start with our chicken. In a large bowl add in your chicken, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, and egg. Mix everything thoroughly until the chicken is evenly coated in the batter.

Now, it’s time to fry! I know, that came rather quickly. But in cooking, like in life, you must learn to expect the unexpected!! You also should expect the expected, like frying. Moving right along. You’re going to want to fry the chicken in 2-3 batches depending on your pot. I used a large, bowl-shaped pot–I think it could be called a wok? Honestly, I don’t know but it’s shape has always been easier to fry in for me. What you’re going to want to do is fill it with a couple inches of vegetable oil, enough to halfway submerge a piece of chicken. Heat the oil up on medium-high to high heat and wait until it comes to temp. To check if its ready to fry just add a bit of batter in and if it starts to bubble away you are ready to fry. Go ahead and add your first batch of chicken making sure not to overlap so it can cook evenly. After about 2 or 3 minutes or when it becomes golden and crispy flip it over and let the other side cook. Once they’re fully cooked transfer to a paper towel lined plate to let excess oil drain.

Once all the chicken was fried, I pulled a Maangchi, and like in my Korean Fried Chicken I double fried the chicken. Yeah, pretty intense stuff. But, I just want what’s best for me, oh an you, of course! To double fry, you basically just fry all the chicken again! It won’t take as long as the initial fry, you just need to toss it in the hot oil for a minute or so until the color deepens slightly and the chicken crisps up a little more. Very nice. Makes me wish I had fried chicken with me, right now, sigh.😪

chicky-chicky fry-fry

Now that the chicken has been taken care of you can turn your attention to the second most important part of this honey chicken recipe, the honey sauce. In a clean pan heat up the sesame oil on medium-low heat and then add in the minced garlic. Let it fry for a minute until it softens and then you can add in the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture. Mix it all up and once it’s heated through and combined you can mix the cornstarch and water together and pour into the sauce. On a low heat continue mixing until the sauce thickens. Then you can do the most exciting step! Combining the chicken and sauce into one glorious dish!! I need to take a moment..

Almost too much to handle

I understand it can be a lot. How can something look so delicious and guess what? Spoiler alert: it tastes just as good–Nay– better than it looks! Amazing.

Just toss the chicken lightly in the sauce, coating all the pieces as best you can. If you’d like to you can garnish with some sesame seeds or green onions. This can be served with some plain rice, white or brown, or you can eat it as is!

Honey Fried Chicken

Sana Gilani
Sticky, sweet, and spicy honey fried chicken.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

For Chicken Batter:

  • 2 pounds chicken breasts cubed
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 1 egg
  • Vegetable oil for frying

For Honey Sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ⅓-½ cup Honey
  • 3 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl combine all the chicken batter ingredients. Mix thoroughly until chicken is completely coated in batter.
  • In a wok or deep pan add 2-3 inches of plain vegetable oil. Heat on medium-high heat until hot enough to fry. To check if it is at the right temperature drop in a little batter and if it starts to bubble it is ready.
  • Add chicken in 2-3 batches in oil. Allow to fry on one side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and then flip to cook other side.
  • Once cooked, strain out of oil using slotted spoon or spider strainer and put on paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
  • Once all the chicken is cooked, in one or two batches add back into oil on high heat to double fry the chicken. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes, tossing chicken in oil, until the color of chicken deepens slightly. Strain and let excess oil absorb on paper towel lined plate.
  • Set aside chicken.
  • In pan heat up sesame oil on medium-low heat and add in garlic. Allow to cook for few minutes until garlic is soft.
  • Add in remaining sauce ingredients except cornstarch and water mixture. Mix sauce ingredients and let it heat through completely.
  • Then mix together cornstarch and water and then pour into sauce. Allow this to cook on low heat for a few minutes until sauce thickens.
  • Once sauce thickens, add in chicken. Toss chicken in sauce, coating each piece.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds or green onions.
  • Serve with white or brown rice or eat on its own.
  • Enjoy!

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