Honey Chicken Recipe
Honey chicken is a popular Chinese recipe. If you love Chinese food, you will love this simple and delicious dish.
The crispy chicken is deep-fried on stove top and glazed in a sweet and savory honey sauce. This is the best chicken and honey recipe!
How to Make Honey Chicken?
This recipe is made of the following main ingredients:
- Chicken breasts
- Honey
- Salt
- Apple cider vinegar
The first step is deep frying the chicken. I have an excellent restaurant-quality batter recipe that makes the chicken super crispy, airy and non-greasy. Next, you make the sweet glaze.
The final step is mixing the fried chicken and the honey glaze together.
How to Serve Honey Chicken?
This dish can be served as an appetizer or an entree.
- Serve the dish as an appetizer, with the sauce and the chicken separate. Dip each piece of chicken into the honey sauce before eating.
- Serve the dish as a main entree, with chow mein, fried rice or steamed rice.
Can I Freeze the Honey Sauce?
Yes, the honey glaze can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
You can increase the recipe and make double or triple the portions. The honey glaze keeps well for a week.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you sure can. Both white meat or dark meat can be used. Just make sure you cut the chicken meat into equal-sized cubes. This will ensure even cooking.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 373 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
This recipe goes well with rice or noodles. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Honey Chicken
Honey Chicken - easy Chinese honey chicken with crispy chicken in sticky and sweet honey sauce. This recipe is better than Chinese restaurants, guaranteed!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Oil, for deep-frying
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons of water
- salt and sugar to taste
- toasted sesame seeds, for garnishing
Marinade:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
Frying Batter:
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup water, ice cold
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey Sauce:
- 1/3 cup pure honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry wine
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken cubes with the Marinade for 5 minutes.
- Make the Frying Batter. In a large bowl, whisk the egg white and add in the rest of the Frying Batter ingredients. Batter should be smooth and not lumpy. Place another bowl with ice cubes underneath the frying batter bowl. Drop in the chicken cubes, mix well until they are well coated. Let it sit for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Mix all the ingredients for the Honey Sauce together. Set aside.
- Heat up a wok on high heat with cooking oil. Gently drop in the chicken cubes, one by one, making sure it is spread out to prevent sticking or overcrowding the wok. Turn the heat down to medium-high and continue to deep-fry until golden brown. Remove the chicken with a strainer and drained on paper towels.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil in the wok. Add the garlic and stir fry until aromatic. Add the Honey Sauce mixture and the cornstarch mixture. Thicken the sauce and add more salt or sugar to taste.
- Add the chicken into the sauce. Stir to combine well. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Alternatively, keep the sauce separate from the chicken and serve as an appetizer.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
3 peopleAmount Per Serving Calories 373Total Fat 7.7gSaturated Fat 0.6gCholesterol 130mgSodium 551mgCarbohydrates 20.8gFiber 0.3gSugar 5.5gProtein 54.4g
Rita
This is a good recipe however, it calls for too much salt throughout. I balanced with as much sugar as I dared to. But I reached into my bag of Asian tricks & pulled out my Sesame Oil. 1/2 tspn of that plus another tablespoon of honey, IT IS SUPERB! One more note: I’d swap out the all purpose flour for Rice Flour. It would give you a crispier version that would hold up under that fantastic sauce! Perfect amount of sauce to coat by the way!
Rasa Malaysia
Whatever variations that work for you are fine with me!
Marie Mattera
Delicious! It was our first attempt at this recipe and I tend to add things I like while ommitting things I don’t care for. I added sugar snap peas and bean spouts and they were soooo good. I did not have rice wine or sherry. Be aware not to add too much apple cider vinegar as it is very strong. I used about an eighth of a teaspoon of the apple cider and even that amount gave it a bit of a kick. We flash fried rice sticks seperately, and I must say flash fry.! They were cooked in about 30 seconds. Add only three or four strands of rice sticks into the hot oil, as thet stick together like a wad of glue if you add any more. I might also double the honey mixture as it really completes the recipe! Give it a try. You will not be disappointed.
Julie
Where do you use the garlic in the marinade or the honey sauce?
Marie Mattera
https://rasamalaysia.com/honey-chicken/#comment-155741
I put the garlic in the marinade. But I put the honey sauce on the chicken and soy beans just before I served it. This time I’m thinking I’ll make the honey sauce, warm it in the microwave for 1 minute and then pour it over the chicken. I suggest doubling the amount of honey sauce and putting a little on the table in a small pitcher so you can add more if you like.
Lesley
Exciting! Can’t wait to start. Will print a hardcopy. Finally get to use my Apple Cider Vinegar.
Lesley
Jo Freeman
What cornstarch mixture? ?? The only cornstarch was in the batter and. your recipe says stir “cornstarch mixture” into the honey mixture.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Jo, it’s the cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons of water, it’s in the recipe ingredient.
Tony
Just FYI, the cornstarch mixture is just the cornstarch and water. Good luck!
Tony
Didn’t see that was already answered. Apologies.
Anne Redburn
I never liked honey chicken before, but this is the tastiest, most delicious recipe I have ever tasted. I am making this every week from now on. Only want to know what to serve it with please? Best recipe ever!!!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Anne, please check the post, I have a section “PAIRS WELL WITH” and will recommend recipes to go with it. Please also try more recipes on my site, they are all delicious: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Annie
Very easy and nice recipe. The chicken pieces are crunchy. Next attempt I shall serve the honey sauce and chicken pieces separately to preserve the crunchiness.
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome, that is a great idea. Thanks for trying the Honey Chicken.
Laj
Very delicious & tasty.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks!!!
Pamela D.
Thank you for posting this Honey Chicken recipe. We eat a lot of chicken and I’m always looking to switch it up. This was a great switch, a big hit with everyone in my family.. I have requests to make again.. Thanks again we throughly enjoyed it…
Farrah
I don’t have Chinese wine or dry wine, can i just skip that?
Rasa Malaysia
Yes, you can skip.
Reem Elhassan
Perfect!! I had cooked this yesterday and it tasted just as it looks! Loved the honry garlic sauce ??
Rasa Malaysia
Reem, awesome, I am glad you love these honey chicken.