Description
Crispy honey garlic chicken combines golden-brown, perfectly seasoned chicken with a sweet and savory glaze that tantalizes taste buds. Rich flavors from Asia inspire this simple yet elegant dish that you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) chicken thighs or breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cornstarch (mixed with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry)
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Seasoning Preparation: Generously coat chicken pieces with salt and pepper, ensuring thorough and even coverage for maximum flavor infusion.
- Coating Station Setup: Arrange three separate containers – one with flour and cornstarch blend, another with whisked eggs, and the third filled with panko breadcrumbs for a comprehensive breading process.
- Breading Technique: Systematically coat each chicken piece by first dredging in flour mixture, then dipping in egg wash, allowing excess to drip off before rolling completely in panko breadcrumbs for a crisp exterior.
- Oil Heating: Warm vegetable oil in a deep skillet to a precise 350F, maintaining consistent temperature to guarantee optimal crispiness and even cooking.
- Frying Process: Gently introduce breaded chicken into hot oil in small batches, preventing overcrowding and preserving oil temperature, rotating pieces to achieve a uniform golden-brown crust and ensure safe internal temperature, approximately 4-5 minutes per batch.
- Excess Oil Removal: Transfer fried chicken to paper towel-lined surface, allowing excess oil to drain and maintaining the crispy texture.
- Honey Garlic Sauce Creation: Combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and finely minced garlic in a saucepan, heating over medium flame and introducing a cornstarch slurry to develop a glossy, thickened sauce.
- Sauce Coating: Pour warm honey garlic sauce over crispy chicken in a large mixing bowl, gently tossing to ensure complete and uniform coverage.
- Final Presentation: Plate the sauced chicken, garnishing with thinly sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds to enhance visual appeal and add textural complexity, serving immediately with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- Control Oil Temperature: Maintain precise 350F for perfectly crispy chicken without burning, using a deep-fry thermometer for accuracy.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Fry chicken in small batches to preserve oil temperature and ensure even, golden-brown crispiness.
- Pat Chicken Dry: Remove excess moisture before breading to guarantee maximum crunch and prevent soggy coating.
- Cornstarch Magic: Use a mix of flour and cornstarch for an extra-crispy, light breading that stays crunchy even after saucing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg