Craving that sweet, sticky Chinese honey chicken from your local takeaway? Now you can make it at home, and it’s even better. This recipe delivers ultra-crispy chicken tossed in a glossy, garlicky honey sauce that’s tangy, sweet and totally addictive. Whether you’re feeding the family or showing off at your next dinner party, this one’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Bonus: it’s made with easy-to-find pantry staples and no deep-fryer required (unless you want one).
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600g chicken thigh or breast, cut into 3cm pieces
½ cup plain flour (for dusting)
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
¼ cup finely sliced spring onion
1 tsp sesame seeds
Marinade:
1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
1 tsp sea salt
⅛ tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp ginger juice (squeezed from 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger)
Honey sauce:
8 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp lemon juice
Batter:
1 cup potato starch
2 tbsp plain flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¾ cup cold water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
- In a large bowl , combine the chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients. Mix well and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all the honey sauce ingredients in a small saucepan . Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for 4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has slightly thickened. It will thicken more as it cools. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the batter ingredients until smooth.
- Fill a wok or large saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil. Place over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 170°C.
- Lightly coat the marinated chicken pieces in the plain flour. Then dip half the chicken into the batter and mix until well coated. Carefully place the chicken into the hot oil and fry, turning often, for 4–5 minutes or until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a rack set over a tray. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Allow the chicken to cool for 2–3 minutes. Reheat the oil to 170°C and return all the chicken to the wok (you can do this in one batch if using a large wok). Fry again for 5 minutes until extra crispy. Transfer to the rack once more and season with a pinch of salt.
- Pour out the used oil, leaving just 1 tablespoon in the wok. Return to medium-high heat and pour in the honey sauce. Once simmering, add in the crispy chicken and toss for 3–4 minutes until the chicken is coated and the sauce has thickened.
- Toss through the spring onion, transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
- Notes: *Shaoxing wine is a Chinese cooking wine that adds depth of flavour. If you’d prefer an alcohol-free version, swap it for apple juice.
