Go Back

Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crisp golden bites coated in a glossy honey garlic sauce. Fried chicken gets tossed in a caramelizing, dark-amber sauce for a takeout-style, easy Asian dinner over rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper
  • 1 large egg beaten
Honey garlic sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
For frying and serving
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 green onions sliced, for garnish
  • 1 steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a bowl until evenly combined, then set aside for dredging.
  2. Dip the beaten egg-coated chicken pieces into the flour mixture, pressing lightly so each bite is well coated and clings.
Fry until crisp
  1. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to 375°F, maintaining that temperature before you add the chicken.
  2. Fry chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and cooked through, then drain on a sheet pan.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens into a glossy consistency.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in sesame oil until fully incorporated.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until every piece is fully coated and the coating turns tacky and shiny.
  2. Serve immediately over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For extra shatter, keep the oil steady at 375°F and fry in small batches so the temperature doesn’t drop. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer to regain crispness (microwave will soften). Freezing isn’t recommended because the breading loses crunch. For a lighter swap, use chicken breast and increase the sauce slightly to compensate for the drier meat.