Crispy Honey Chicken
Crispy bite-sized chicken in a glossy, sweet-and-savoury honey sauce — a speedy Chinese takeaway favourite to make at home.
Think of this as your reliable, achievable Chinese takeaway — crispy, sticky, and dangerously moreish. Bite-sized chicken is quickly marinated, fried until golden, then slicked in a glossy honey sauce that balances sweet, tang and umami.
It’s brilliant for a midweek treat or a relaxed weekend supper; serve with steamed jasmine rice and quick-pickled cucumber if you want to feel particularly virtuous.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast
- 30 ml light soy sauce — total (use part in the marinade and part in the sauce)
- 15 ml Shaoxing wine
- 1 egg
- 100 g cornflour — for marinade, coating and slurry
- 50 g plain flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 5 ml salt — total
- 5 ml black pepper
- 1 l vegetable oil — for deep frying; you will not use it all
- 80 g honey
- 30 ml rice vinegar
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 60 ml chicken stock
- 2 cloves garlic — finely minced
- 15 ml ginger — finely grated
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 2 spring onions — finely sliced for garnish
- 5 ml sesame seeds — toasted, for garnish
Equipment
- deep-fat thermometer
- wire rack
- baking tray
- slotted spoon
Instructions
Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2.5 cm). Pat dry with kitchen paper.
In a large bowl mix light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg, 30 g cornflour, salt and black pepper. Add the chicken, toss to coat, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the dry coating: plain flour, remaining cornflour and baking powder in a shallow bowl.
Pour the vegetable oil into a wide, deep pan to a depth of about 5 cm. Heat to 180°C (use a deep-fat thermometer). Do not overheat the oil.
Working in batches (do not overcrowd), dredge the marinated chicken in the dry coating, shaking off excess, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry each batch for 3–4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking tray to drain; keep warm and repeat with remaining chicken.
Wipe out a small pan and add honey, remaining light soy sauce, rice vinegar, granulated sugar, chicken stock, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium hob and cook for 3 minutes to blend the flavours.
Mix 20 g cornflour with about 30 ml cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 1 minute until glossy and thickened.
Tip the fried chicken into a large bowl, pour over the hot honey sauce and toss quickly so every piece is evenly coated. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes so the sauce clings to the coating.
Scatter with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Tips
- Pat the chicken completely dry before marinating — any surface moisture prevents the coating from crisping.
- Do not overcrowd the oil: fry in small batches so pieces colour quickly and the oil temperature recovers between batches.
- If you don’t have a deep-fat thermometer, test with one piece: it should sizzle vigorously and brown in about 3–4 minutes.
- Make the sauce just before the last batch is fried; tossing the chicken in hot sauce preserves the gloss and crunch.
- Leftovers reheat best in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 6–8 minutes rather than the microwave, which makes the coating soggy.
Substitutions
Shaoxing wine → dry sherry, same quantity (15 ml)
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same quantity (50 g); ensure baking powder is gluten-free
Noticeably differentlight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (30 ml) for a gluten-free option
Stays closehoney → maple syrup, same weight (80 g) — flavour will be different and less floral
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 590
- Calories
- 46 g
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 28 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake the chicken instead of frying?
Yes — bake at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 18–22 minutes on a greased baking tray, turning halfway. It won’t be as crispy as deep-fried, but the sauce will still be delicious.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot oven to revive the coating; avoid the microwave.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
Yes — boneless thigh is juicier and forgiving. Cut to similar-sized pieces and follow the same cooking time; thighs can be slightly fattier so they brown quicker.
How do I make this gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free plain flour blend for the coating and replace light soy sauce with tamari. Check baking powder is labelled gluten-free.
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