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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crisp golden bites coated in a sticky, glossy honey garlic sauce. The sauce simmers to a deep amber sheen, then clings to the fried chicken for an easy Asian dinner over rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 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 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper
  • 1 egg Beaten.
  • vegetable oil for frying Use enough to reach about 2 inches in the pot.
Honey Garlic Sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 garlic Minced.
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • sesame seeds For garnish.
  • green onions For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper; set the dry mixture aside. Visually, it should look evenly combined with no dry pockets.
  2. Dip the bite-sized chicken thighs into the beaten egg, then dredge in the flour mixture until well coated. Lift one piece to confirm the coating clings all over the surface.
Fry until shatteringly crisp
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F. The oil is ready when a small test piece sizzles immediately and stays steady.
  2. Fry chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning as needed, until golden and cooked through. Remove when the exterior is crisp and deeply golden.
  3. Drain the fried chicken on a rack or paper towels. Let excess oil drip off for a minute so the coating stays crisp.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, garlic, and rice vinegar in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. You should see small bubbles around the edges and a light simmering steam.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. The sauce should become glossy and cling to the spoon.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in sesame oil. The sauce will darken slightly and look silkier right after adding the oil.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until fully coated. Stop when the pieces are evenly lacquered with a shiny amber finish.
  2. Serve over steamed rice with sesame seeds and green onions. Finish with a scatter of garnish so it looks fresh and bright on top.

Notes

Pro tip: Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature near 375°F for maximum crispness. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again (microwave softens the coating). Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a gluten-free swap, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the coating (cornstarch-based coating still fries well).