Crispy Honey Chicken

Name: Crispy Honey Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 300 g (10 oz) chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into 2.5 cm pieces; 1 tbsp light soy sauce, or all-purpose soy sauce, not dark soy sauce; 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine, or substitute soy sauce; 2 tsp cornstarch; ½ cup cornstarch; 6 tbsp cornstarch; 4 tbsp all-purpose flour; 7–8 tbsp soda water, cold; club soda or seltzer water also work, but do not use sparkling mineral water; ¼ tsp baking powder, not baking soda; ¼ tsp salt, kosher or cooking salt; use half as much table salt; 2–3 cups vegetable oil, or canola oil; ⅓ cup (100 g) honey; 1½ tbsp (25 g) glucose, or light corn syrup; 1 tbsp light soy sauce, or all-purpose soy sauce; 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine, or use more soy sauce; 25 g (2 oz) rice vermicelli, optional; use a handful of rice noodles, not bean noodles; sesame seeds; green onions, finely sliced

Glossy honey chicken piled over crispy rice noodles, finished with sesame seeds and green onion. — Crispy honey chicken served over puffed rice noodles.

Puffy, crisp chicken pieces are coated in a sticky honey sauce with sesame seeds and green onion. A cold soda-water batter and double fry help the coating stay crisp after saucing.

By Cookin' KitchenOctober 19, 2026

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Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Rest: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4

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Recipe

Crispy Honey Chicken

Puffy, crisp chicken pieces are coated in a sticky honey sauce with sesame seeds and green onion. A cold soda-water batter and double fry help the coating stay crisp after saucing.

Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/crispy-honey-chicken

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Rest: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4

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Instructions

Optional preparation for beginners

Step 1: Place the batter-mixing bowl in the fridge with the flour, baking powder and salt to help keep the batter cold.

Marinate and coat the chicken

Step 2: Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Spread the 1/2 cup cornstarch on a shallow plate. Coat about 8 to 10 pieces of chicken at a time, shaking off the excess, and place them on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Make the batter and fry the chicken

Step 4: Place a rack on a tray for draining.
Step 5: Pour oil to a depth of 4 cm into a small pot or large saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat to 180°C/350°F, or until a piece of chicken sizzles as soon as it is dipped into the oil.
Step 6: Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Pour in 7 tablespoons of soda water and whisk only enough to combine, about 10 strokes. A few lumps are fine; too much whisking changes the coating's texture.
Step 7: Check the batter: it should coat the chicken fully without looking see-through, but should not be thick and heavy. Add extra water 1 teaspoon at a time if needed to reach that consistency.
Step 8: Drop about 8 pieces of chicken into the batter. Turn to coat, then carefully place them in the hot oil.
Step 9: Fry for 3 minutes, until light golden and crisp.
Step 10: Transfer the chicken to the rack and repeat with the remaining pieces. Work in batches and do not crowd the pot; the recipe uses 4 batches.
Step 11: Let the chicken cool for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

Make the honey sauce

Step 12: Put the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 13: The sauce should have the consistency of maple syrup. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the sauce warm; it becomes too thick to toss with the chicken when cool.

Fry the chicken a second time

Step 14: Heat the oil to 200°C/390°F.
Step 15: Add half the chicken to the oil. For the second fry, the pot can be crowded. Cook for 90 seconds, until the chicken changes from pale golden to very golden, but not dark golden. Transfer to the rack.
Tip: A deeper golden colour gives a crispier coating, but dark golden chicken will overcook.
Step 16: Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Toss and serve

Step 17: Put the chicken in the saucepan with the sauce and quickly toss with a rubber spatula until coated. Work quickly because the sauce thickens as it cools.
Step 18: Pile the chicken over the crispy noodles, if using. Scatter with sesame seeds and green onion, then serve.

Optional crispy noodles

Step 19: While the oil is hot, drop a handful of noodles into it. Wait 3 seconds for them to puff, then remove with tongs.
Step 20: Drain the noodles on paper towels, then place them on a plate and top with the chicken.

Notes

Make-ahead

For a make-ahead meal, double-fry the chicken, cool it completely on a rack, then refrigerate it. Make the sauce separately and refrigerate it once cool. To serve, bake the chicken on a rack at 180°C/350°F for 7 minutes, until heated through and crisp. Reheat the sauce separately, then toss with the chicken.

Chicken that has already been coated in sauce becomes soggy when reheated.

About this recipe

This Chinese-style honey chicken has a puffy, crisp coating and a sticky, sweet-savoury glaze. A double coating and two-stage fry help the crust stay crisp even after it is tossed in sauce.

A piece of glazed chicken held with chopsticks, showing its pale interior and crisp golden coating. — A cross-section of honey-glazed chicken shows the crisp coating and chicken inside.

Serve it over optional crispy rice noodles and finish with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions.

Crispy Honey Chicken

Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

For dredging

Crispy batter

For frying

Honey sauce

For serving