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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crispy, golden chicken bites coated in a sticky glossy honey garlic sauce that caramelizes into deep amber. Frying at 375°F and quick simmering the sauce create a takeout-style crunch-meets-sweet glaze served over rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
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 salt
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper
  • 1 large egg, beaten Beaten before dipping.
Honey garlic sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
To serve
  • 0.01 vegetable oil for frying Enough to fry (about 2 inches deep).
  • 1 sesame seeds and green onions for garnish For topping and serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper until evenly combined, then set the mixture aside. Visual cue: dry blend should look uniform with no visible spice clumps.
  2. Dip the bitten chicken into the beaten egg, letting excess drip off for a moment. Visual cue: each piece should look lightly coated and glossy before dredging.
  3. Dredge the egg-coated chicken in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres. Visual cue: a dry, matte coating should completely cover the surface.
Fry until golden
  1. Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F in a cast iron skillet. Visual cue: oil is ready when it shimmers and small bubbles form around a test piece.
  2. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning as needed for even browning. Visual cue: shatteringly crisp golden-brown bites with cooked-through centers.
  3. Transfer the fried chicken to a sheet pan to drain briefly. Visual cue: coating stays crisp and dry-looking rather than steaming.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Visual cue: bubbling begins around the edges and garlic becomes fragrant.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Visual cue: sauce turns glossy and clings to the spoon.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Visual cue: the sauce looks darker and silkier after the final stir.
Coat and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until fully coated. Visual cue: sauce should coat every piece in a sticky, shiny amber glaze.
  2. Serve over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions. Visual cue: glossy chicken piled over rice with green flecks and sesame speckles.

Notes

For maximum crunch, fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays near 375°F and the coating doesn’t steam. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat on a hot sheet pan or in an oven/air fryer to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended for the fried texture. For a lower-carb option, replace part of the all-purpose flour with extra cornstarch while keeping the frying temp the same.