Now, this dish is a little hands-on, but trust us; it is so, so worth it. Crispy Honey Chicken is guaranteed to be incredibly crunchy and satisfying, with a heart of beautifully marinated savory chicken beneath the battered and twice-fried crust. The sweet-and-sticky honey sauce brings a fantastic contrast in flavor that will make this the best fried chicken ever. Crispy Honey Chicken is literal music to the ears (you can hear it from miles away)!
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 6 tablespoons corn flour or cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, can substitute 1/8 teaspoon table salt
For the chicken and the marinade:
- 10 ounces chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, not all-purpose soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons corn flour or cornstarch
For the dredging and frying:
- 1/2 cup corn flour or cornstarch
- vegetable oil, to taste
- 7 tablespoons soda water, cold, plus more, to taste, can substitute club soda or seltzer water
For the honey sauce:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon light or all-purpose soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine or soy sauce
Optional, for serving:
- 2 ounces vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
- sesame seeds, to taste
- green onions, to taste, finely sliced
Directions
Step 1 –In a mixing bowl, add 6 tablespoons of the corn flour, the flour, the baking powder, and the salt.
Step 2 –Place the bowl in the refrigerator until ready to fry. This will keep the batter cold, which helps with the final texture.
Step 3 –In a bowl, add the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cooking wine, and 2 teaspoons of the remaining corn flour and stir and mix to combine.
Step 4 –Refrigerate the bowl and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
Step 5 –In a shallow plate, add the 1/2 cup remaining corn flour and spread it out.
Step 6 –In batches of about 8-10 chicken pieces, scatter the chicken over the corn flour in the shallow plate and toss to coat.
Step 7 –Shake the excess off the coated chicken pieces and transfer them to a plate.
Step 8 –Repeat until all of the chicken pieces are coated.
Step 9 –Place a rack on a baking tray so the chicken can drain.
Step 10 –In a small pot or a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add about 2 inches of the oil to 350 degrees F.
Step 11 –Transfer the flour mixture from the refrigerator and whisk to combine.
Step 12 –Add 7 tablespoons of the soda water to the flour mixture and whisk until it is just combined, being careful not to overmix; it’s ok if a few lumps remain. The batter should be able to coat the chicken, without being thick and heavy. Add the extra soda water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the right consistency is achieved.
Step 13 –In batches of about 8 pieces, add the chicken to the batter and turn to coat.
Step 14 –Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil and fry until they are lightly golden and crispy, about 3 minutes.
Step 15 –Transfer the fried chicken to the prepared rack and repeat the battering and frying process with the remaining chicken. Make sure the oil stays at 350 degrees F.
Step 16 –Cool the chicken for 20 minutes.
Step 17 –In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the honey, the corn syrup, the remaining light soy sauce, and the remaining Chinese cooking wine and stir to combine.
Step 18 –Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer and let it simmer until it has a maple syrup-like consistency, about 3 minutes.
Step 19 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat and cover the saucepan with a lid to keep warm.
Step 20 –Heat the frying oil to 390 degrees F.
Step 21 –Add about 1/2 of the chicken to the hot oil and fry until the chicken again is very golden and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 1 minute 30 seconds.
Step 22 –Transfer the double-fried chicken to the rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Step 23 –Add the double-fried chicken to the saucepan with the sauce mixture and very quickly toss to coat.
Step 24 –Serve the chicken over the noodles, garnished with the sesame seeds and the green onions.
