Do you love honey? Do you love chicken? A distant cousin of American chicken & waffles, Chinese crispy honey chicken combines the sweetness of honey with the crunch of fried chicken.
To make great honey chicken, the marinade is essential, so don’t skip it! Thirty minutes is the bare minimum; overnight is even better. Thighs are already juicy, and the marinade makes them utterly irresistible.
Picture biting into a crispy chicken fritter: the sweetness of honey hits your taste buds first, followed by a burst of savory flavor from the juicy interior. For extra zing, add a little minced garlic.
Ingredients for Honey Chicken
Shaoxing wine: A key component of the marinade, click here to learn how to substitute it, but honestly, it’s worth the investment.
Light soy sauce: Unlike dark soy sauce, this is the standard salty soy sauce you will find in most supermarkets.
What to serve with honey chicken?
I like to serve something fairly neutral. For example, my express Cantonese rice pairs beautifully with honey chicken. Just leave out the meat.
Tips for perfect honey chicken
Avoid frying too many pieces at once or they will stick together. I usually cook about 6 to 8 pieces at a time in my small Asian deep fryer.
Serve the chicken right away. My special breading is sturdy, but it will start to soften over time.
Use a cooking thermometer to ensure your oil is at the correct temperature. If the oil is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside cooks. If it is too cool, the chicken will soak up oil and turn heavy and greasy (fat is life, but in moderation).
If you want leftovers, keep some of the crispy chicken separate from the sauce. That way you can reheat the chicken and sauce individually and preserve both flavor and texture. Ideally, freeze the chicken without the sauce after the first fry, then reheat it by dropping it back into the fryer, just like frozen fries.
Use chicken breast if you prefer, but thigh meat clearly delivers the best flavor.
If you enjoy these flavors, be sure to try the honey garlic chicken
Crispy Chinese Honey Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken and marinade
- 300 g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Breading
- 1 portions my universal breading
Honey sauce
- 150 g honey
- 25 g glucose OR corn syrup (if you don't have any, use honey)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
Procédé
- Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes
- In separate bowls, combine the breading ingredients and the sauce ingredients, then set aside
- Fry the chicken with the breading. First at 180°C until lightly golden, then a second time until well browned. This guarantees ideal crispiness.
- In a large saucepan, add the sauce and heat over medium. When it is hot, add the fried chicken pieces and mix well to coat
- Serve with rice
