Description
Whip up crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken for a dinner that’ll make your taste buds dance with pure satisfaction. Succulent chicken pieces coated in a glossy, golden sauce bring restaurant-quality flavor straight to your home kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Coating:
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup cornstarch
Sauce and Seasoning:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Green onions (chopped, for garnish)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Mix ½ cup cornstarch with 2 egg whites in a medium bowl. Ensure your chicken pieces are completely and evenly coated with this batter.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep skillet. Carefully drop chicken pieces into hot oil, working in 2-3 batches to maintain temperature.
- Fry each batch of chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy. The exterior should look deep amber and feel crunchy when touched.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. Let excess oil drain completely while maintaining chicken’s crispness.
- In a separate pan, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil into the pan. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Gently fold crispy chicken into the honey garlic sauce. Ensure each piece gets a glossy, even coating.
- Transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle chopped green onions and sesame seeds on top for fresh flavor and texture.
Notes
- Let the chicken pieces rest in the cornstarch and egg white batter for 10-15 minutes before frying to help the coating stick better and create a crunchier texture.
- Use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at 350°F for perfectly crispy chicken without burning the outside or leaving the inside undercooked.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and use cornstarch as your thickening agent in the sauce.
- If watching calories, consider baking the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack at 425°F for 20-25 minutes instead of deep frying, which will reduce oil absorption.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 324 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg