Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken Recipe
Learn how to make the crispiest honey chicken at home with this easy recipe. Crispy battered chicken is coated in a sweet and savory honey sauce, creating the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- Author: Lily
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Chicken & Marinade:
- 300g/ 10oz chicken thighs, skinless boneless, cut into 2.5cm/1″ pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
Dredging:
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch
Stay-Crispy Puffy Batter:
- 6 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 4 tbsp flour
- 7 – 8 tbsp COLD soda water
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Oil, for frying:
Honey Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey
- 1.5 tbsp (25g) glucose OR corn syrup
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine
Garnish / serving:
- 25g / 2 oz Vermicelli rice noodles
- Sesame seeds, finely sliced green onions
- Recommended step for beginners: Place batter mixing bowl in the fridge with the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Marinate & Dust Chicken: Marinate chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and cornflour for 30 minutes. Dust with cornflour/cornstarch.
- Cold Batter & Fry #1: Prepare cold batter, coat chicken, and fry until light golden and crispy.
- Honey Sauce: Simmer honey, glucose/corn syrup, soy sauce, and cooking wine until syrupy.
- Fry #2 – for ultra crispy: Fry chicken a second time at higher temperature for extra crispiness.
- Toss in Sauce & Serve: Coat crispy chicken in honey sauce and serve garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Puffy Crispy Noodles (optional): Fry vermicelli rice noodles until puffed up for a fun garnish.
Notes
- Keep batter cold for crispier chicken.
- Use a rack for draining fried chicken.
- Avoid crowding the pot while frying.
- Cool fried chicken for 20 minutes before tossing in sauce.
- Work quickly when tossing chicken in sauce to prevent thickening.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Crispy Honey Chicken, Chinese Honey Chicken, Crispy Chicken Recipe