Chinese honey chicken that is super crispy and sticky, just the right amount of sweet and crunchy! This chicken is so delicious that it’s better than any restaurant-quality chicken. A popular Asian inspired dish that the whole family will enjoy.
Chinese honey chicken is a traditional Chinese-American dish that is loved for its sweet and crispy fried chicken coat. The dish honey chicken comes from Hunan province and combines Chinese cooking methods with Western flavors to make a unique treat. If you like this popular menu item but are curious about what goes into it, keep reading! We’re going to talk about all the delicious ingredients that go into this treat.
A Brief History of Honey Chicken
While honey chicken is now a staple on North American Chinese takeout menus, its origins can be traced back to China. The Hunan province in southern China is known for its spicy, bold cuisine, and is thought to be the birthplace of this dish. Chinese immigrants brought their cooking traditions over to America, adapting flavors and cooking techniques to appeal to Western tastes.
Adding honey gives the food a sweetness that you don’t usually find in Chinese food. Through batter-frying the chicken and covering it in a shiny honey glaze, Chinese chefs turned a savory ingredient into a tasty mix of crunchy and sticky. The honey really stands out because the chicken isn’t very spicy. This new dish became a hit and cemented its place in American-Chinese food.
The Core Ingredients That Define Honey Chicken
While recipes can vary slightly, a few key ingredients are essential for making authentic honey chicken. Here’s a look at what goes into this favorite:
Chicken
The chicken provides the base protein and flavor. Breast meat or tenderloins are commonly used for their mild taste and uniform texture. Dark meat like thighs can also be used for a juicier, richer flavor. The chicken is cut into bite-sized nuggets or strips that cook quickly and easily absorb the honey glaze.
Batter
A thick, crispy batter is the perfect contrast to the soft chicken and sticky sauce. The batter is usually made of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and eggs. The baking powder gives the coating a light, airy texture, and the cornstarch makes it crispier.
Oil for Frying
What sets honey chicken apart is the deep-frying that yields an ultra-crispy crust. Peanut, vegetable, or canola oil are commonly used for high-heat frying. The temperature must be carefully regulated to prevent greasiness.
Honey
No surprise here – honey is the star ingredient in both the name and the flavor. The particular type of honey can vary, but clover honey is commonly used for its mild, versatile taste. Honey provides a glistening sheen and distinct sweetness.
Soy Sauce
When you mix honey with soy sauce, the saltiness and umami flavor of the soy sauce balance each other out. To keep the glaze from getting too dark, light or regular soy is best.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar provides a tangy counterpoint to the sweet honey. It brightens up the flavor and adds moisture.
Aromatics – Garlic, Ginger
Garlic and ginger are often used to provide a burst of aromatic flavor. They add a subtle heat and complexity.
Thickeners – Cornstarch
A touch of cornstarch helps thicken the sauce so it generously coats each piece of chicken without becoming too runny.
The Step-By-Step Process of Making Honey Chicken
Now that we know what goes into it, let’s look at how this dish comes together:
-
Marinate the Chicken: The chicken is tossed in a quick marinade of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and cornstarch to add flavor.
-
Toss in Cornstarch: Before battering, each piece is dusted in cornstarch to further seal in moisture.
-
Prepare the Thick Batter: The batter is made by whisking together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cold water or soda until thick.
-
Deep Fry the Chicken: The battered chicken is fried in hot oil at 350-375°F until golden brown and cooked through.
-
Make the Honey Glaze: Whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and other aromatics in a pan until thickened.
-
Toss the Fried Chicken in the Glaze: The fried chicken is tumbled in the glaze until evenly coated in the sticky, sweet sauce.
-
Garnish and Serve: The chicken is piled over crispy noodles or rice and garnished with sesame seeds and scallions.
Why We Love This Sweet-Savory Dish
What makes honey chicken so crave-worthy? A few reasons it has become a favorite appetizer or main course:
-
Contrasting Textures: The crispy, crackling batter plays perfectly against the tender, juicy chicken.
-
Sweet and Savory: Honey balances the saltiness of soy sauce for a tantalizing flavor combo.
-
Customizable: Spice-lovers can amp up the heat, while those looking for a new spin can add citrus or Asian accents.
-
Simple Ingredients: Easy to whip up for a weekday dinner without hard-to-find ingredients.
-
Kid-Friendly: Mild flavors and chicken appeal to young and fussy eaters.
-
Comfort Food: Satisfyingly crisp, sweet, and sticky like chicken nuggets but elevated.
So the next time you crack open a glistening piece of honey chicken, you’ll know exactly how this unique fusion food came to be such a beloved menu item!
What You Need To Make Chinese Honey Chicken
- Chicken: I use chicken thighs because they are pretty tender and juicy. You can use boneless skinless chicken breast as well.
- Soy sauce—You use soy sauce in both the marinade and the sauce. I use low sodium soy to keep the salt level low, but you can use regular soy sauce if you like your chicken more salty.
- Shaoxing Wine—This medium-dry wine from Shaoxing tastes rich and a little nutty. Sherry or mirin that has been dried out, or even just more chicken broth, can be used instead.
- Egg white: This will help the flour stick to the chicken.
- Broth: To keep the sodium level low, I use an organic chicken broth with no added salt. This is the base of the sauce.
- Vinegar: White wine vinegar cuts through the sauce’s sweetness.
- Honey—This recipe’s star ingredient is liquid honey.
- Sugar: packed brown sugar to make it sweeter and add a caramel flavor
- The plain white all-purpose flour gives the chicken a nice crispy outside.
- Garlic – Minced garlic always adds great flavor.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch will help to thicken up the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds – Used for garnish.
- Oil: Fry the chicken in vegetable oil, which works well on high heat.
Super Easy Chinese Honey Chicken
These instructions are great for people who often eat Chinese food but have always wanted to try making their own. The chicken should be really crispy and sticky. The secret is in the method I used to make these, no breading required, just a simple marinade, mix the chicken with flour and fry.
The crispy chicken is then coated with a sweet and slightly salted glazed, that’s effortless and easy to make. It tastes great with rice for lunch or dinner. This honey chicken has a lot of flavor.
To get more adventurous, here are some of my other recipes such as Szechuan Chili Shrimp, Chow Mein, or Hot and Sour Soup. Don’t feel intimidated though, because most Asian recipes tend to have a lot of ingredients, but are really very easy to make. Once you have everything ready, the cooking time is minimal.
How to make delicious honey chicken at home
FAQ
What is Chinese honey chicken?
Chinese honey chicken is a dish featuring fried, battered chicken pieces coated in a sweet, honey-based sauce. It’s a popular Australian-Chinese dish, known for its crispy texture and sweet, savory flavor.
What ingredients are in honey chicken?
Honey chicken usually has chicken breasts or thighs cut up, honey, soy sauce, and sometimes garlic, ginger, and cornstarch to coat the chicken.
What’s the difference between sesame chicken and honey chicken?
Honey chicken and sesame chicken are both popular sweet and savory dishes, but they differ primarily in their sauces. Honey chicken features a sweet glaze made with honey, often with soy sauce and ginger. Sesame chicken, while also sweet, tends to have a more balanced flavor profile, incorporating sesame oil, soy sauce, and often a touch of vinegar or chili for a bit of tanginess.
What does honey chicken taste like?
Honey chicken generally tastes sweet and savory, with the dominant flavor being honey. The chicken is usually crispy, and the sauce adds a sweet touch that can be balanced with soy sauce or other salty foods.
What is Chinese honey chicken made of?
The chicken is typically deep-fried until crispy, then sautéed in a wok or pan with a glaze made from honey, soy sauce, garlic, and other seasonings. This mouthwatering dish is often served with steamed rice or noodles, making it a satisfying and flavorful meal. How is Chinese honey chicken cooked?.
What is honey chicken?
Honey chicken is a popular Chinese dish that originated in the Hunan province of China. It is a sweet and savory dish that features crispy chicken pieces coated in a sticky honey sauce. What is honey chicken? To make honey chicken, small pieces of chicken are usually dipped in a seasoned flour mix and fried until golden brown.
What does Chinese honey chicken taste like?
Chinese honey chicken gets its unique flavor from the combination of sweet honey and savory soy sauce. The garlic and ginger in the sauce add depth and aroma to the dish. The crispy texture of the fried chicken complements the sticky honey sauce, creating a well-balanced flavor profile. Is Chinese honey chicken healthy?
How to make Chinese honey chicken?
To make Chinese honey chicken at home, you will need boneless chicken breasts or thighs, honey, soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. First, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and marinate them in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper for at least an hour.
How do you make honey chicken?
To prepare honey chicken, bite-sized pieces of chicken are typically coated in a seasoned flour mixture and then fried until crispy. The chicken is then tossed in a sticky honey-based sauce made with ingredients such as honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. What gives honey chicken its unique flavor?
Is Chinese honey chicken a traditional dish?
Chinese honey chicken is not considered a traditional Chinese dish. It is believed to have been developed as a Westernized adaptation of Chinese cuisine, specifically catering to Western palates. Nevertheless, it has become widely loved and enjoyed both in China and around the world. Can Chinese honey chicken be made in an air fryer?