Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken (30 Minutes)
If you’re looking to satisfy a craving for crispy, fried and sweet, this Chinese honey garlic chicken recipe will do the trick. It makes a delicious appetizer or main dish and is surprisingly easier than you think.
The honey garlic chicken tastes just like take-out, fresh off the stove. Sweet, sticky, crispy and delish!
I tweaked a recipe for Honey Garlic Beef I found on I am a food blog. The pictures are gorgeous and they hooked me right in.
I hate frying foods even though they taste really good, but I put up with it when I get a craving. Fortunately, the frying time is only about 10 minutes for two batches.
We use a Chinese velveting technique, regularly used in Chinese restaurants, that keeps the chicken moist and tender. It’s very easy – just marinate the chicken in a mixture of cornstarch and egg whites.
Bottom line: Honey garlic chicken is a delicious copycat Chinese takeout recipe treat – tender, crispy, sweet and sticky. Appetizer or main dish.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Chicken: I use boneless skinless thighs as I find dark meat juicier and more forgiving. Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used as well, especially with the velveting technique that helps tenderize the chicken.
Honey garlic sauce: The tasty sauce is simple and classic – honey, garlic and soy. The recipe below doubles the sauce from the original recipe, but if you like extra honey garlic sauce to drizzle on rice, you will need to double the amount again. Add some chili flakes for heat if you like.
Egg white and cornstarch mixture: The recipe uses a Chinese velveting technique which coats the chicken in a mixture of egg whites and cornstarch to seal in the juices for tenderness while creating a crispy coating. It’s really easy and works well. Enhance the flavors by adding a
Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point (not olive oil) such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or other vegetable oil.
Step by step instructions
Tips for frying
- Make sure the oil is heated to the right temperature. A thermometer is best but the recipe describes an alternative.
- Bring the oil back to the right temperature before frying the next batch.
- Use an oil with a high smoke point, not olive oil.
Shortcut
Buy a package of raw stir-fry chicken meat which has already been trimmed and cut up for stir-fries. The pieces shouldn’t be too thin, though, or they may dry out before browning when deep frying.
What to serve with crispy honey garlic chicken
As an appetizer, serve the chicken bites with other appetizers like shrimp cocktail, baked brie and preserves or other vegetarian appetizers.
As a main dish, I serve the chicken over white rice, brown rice, coconut jasmine rice or cauliflower rice along with Chinese stir fry green beans, microwaved green beans or roasted boy choy and a Thai mango salad.
Make Ahead
- You can make this recipe ahead by keeping the chicken in the oven on Warm for an hour, then tossing it in the heated sauce right before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Chinese velveting technique is used to seal in the juices of the meat, resulting in a tender more flavorful chicken. You marinate meat in a mixture of cornstarch, egg whites, and seasonings before deep frying it. Some blanch the mixture in oil first and then stir fry the chicken.
You can use chicken, beef or pork for the honey garlic recipe. I would suggest sirloin or perhaps a well-marbled tri-tip steak or ribeye for the beef. Chuck or flank can be used as well, but it’s a bit chewier.
Other Asian food recipes
- easy egg drop soup with vegetables
- vegetable wonton soup
- best pad Thai recipe
- Thai curried shrimp and vegetables
- Chinese vegetable fried rice
- shrimp chowder Thai style
- vegetable rice paper rolls (with how-to tips)
If you’re a honey garlic sauce fan, you might also like our crispy baked chicken wings with honey garlic sauce.
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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken (30 Minutes)
Equipment
- skillet with deeper sides (or wok)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces (about 1 -2 inch/2.5-5 cm)
- oil, enough to fill skillet 1 inch/2.5 cm use Canola oil or other vegetable oil
Marinade
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pinch salt or other seasonings, Note 1
Honey Garlic Sauce, Note 2
- 4 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 3 if preferred)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or less if you like less peppery)
Garnish (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds
- 1 green onion, sliced
Instructions
- GET ORGANIZED:°Heat oven to Warm temperature or 200F/93C. This is to keep the chicken warm between batches or before serving. °Prepare baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep chicken warm in between batches. Add a rack on top (not essential). °Add sauce ingredients to a pot large enough to hold all the chicken once fried.°Prepare oil for frying – place 1 inch/2.5 cm oil in skillet with higher sides (or wok)
- MARINATE CHICKEN: Whisk egg whites, cornstarch, and pinch of salt (and other seasonings Note 1) in a bowl until well blended and fluffy. Mix in chicken and let sit for 10 -15 minutes while you heat oil.
- HEAT OIL FOR FRYING: While chicken is marinating, heat oil on medium high in large skillet on stove to 350-360F/177-182C on a frying or instant thermometer. Note 3 if you don't have a thermometer. It will take 10-15 minutes to heat up.
- FRY CHICKEN: Once the oil is at the right temperature, carefully add the marinated chicken pieces, one at a time. DO NOT crowd the pan. You will need to do 2-3 batches depending on the size of skillet. Fry chicken for about 3-4 minutes, depending on size of pieces, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Place on prepared pan and put into oven to keep warm. Bring oil back to correct temperature. Repeat until all chicken is fried. Adjust temperature of stove if needed to maintain correct temperature.
- MAKE SAUCE AND ADD CHICKEN: Boil honey garlic sauce on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. If too thick, add a touch of water. Add chicken to sauce in pot. Toss to coat well. Place on serving plate, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with green onions if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Seasonings for marinade mixture: Elevate the flavor by adding a teaspoon of sesame oil, soy sauce or oyster sauce and/or Shaoxing wine. For heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Double sauce: To have enough sauce for drizzling on rice if using chicken as a main dish, double the amounts.
- If you don’t have a frying thermometer, to test the temperature, dip the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick into the oil. The oil will bubble steadily (not super vigorously) around the stick when it’s ready for frying.
- Make ahead: You can make this recipe ahead by keeping the meat in the oven on Warm or at 200F/93C for 30-45 minutes, then tossing it in the heated sauce right before serving. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat at 400F/204C for about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
This honey garlic chicken recipe has been updated with new pictures and information.
We loved this meal! Instead of deep frying the chicken I used the air fryer. Easy, quick and equally delicious. We will be making this again!
Brilliant idea! When I posted this recipe, there was no such thing as an air fryer! Thanks for sharing.