Easy Sweet & Sticky Honey Chicken Recipe Everyone Will Love

Sweet and sticky honey chicken has become my go-to comfort meal when craving something both familiar and exciting.

Weeknight dinners demand quick solutions that don’t compromise on flavor.

Tender chicken pieces glazed with golden, rich honey create a magical combination that sparks joy at the dinner table.

Fragrant spices and a simple marinade bring this dish from ordinary to extraordinary.

Home cooks can easily master this recipe with just a few basic ingredients and minimal preparation time.

Each bite promises a delightful balance of savory and sweet that makes everyone smile.

Let’s unlock the secret to making this irresistible dish that will have you coming back for seconds.

Sweet Meets Savory in This Must-Try Honey Chicken

• Master Flavor Fusion: Combines sweet honey glaze with crispy chicken for a mouth-watering taste explosion that satisfies every craving.
• Quick Cooking Technique: Simple steps transform basic ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish with minimal kitchen skills required, perfect for home cooks of all levels.
• Family Dinner Champion: Creates a crowd-pleasing meal that appeals to both kids and adults, making it an ideal weeknight dinner solution with guaranteed smiles around the table.
• Minimal Ingredient Magic: Uses common pantry staples to craft a delicious meal without requiring hard-to-find or expensive ingredients, keeping cooking stress-free and budget-friendly.

What You’ll Need for Glazed Honey Chicken

• Chicken Cubes: Tender meat pieces that form the protein base of the dish.

• Soy Sauce, Salt, White Pepper: Seasonings that enhance the chicken's flavor and tenderize the meat.

• Egg White, All-Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, Water: A light and crispy coating that creates a golden, crunchy exterior for the chicken.

• Honey, Soy Sauce, Water, Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil: A sweet and tangy sauce that adds rich flavor and glossy finish to the fried chicken.

• Garlic, Sesame Seeds: Fragrant ingredient that adds depth to the sauce and crunchy seeds for a decorative and textural topping.

Cooking Oil: Neutral oil used for deep-frying the chicken to achieve a crispy golden brown exterior.

Simple Steps to Make Juicy Honey Chicken

Marinate Chicken Cubes

Grab your chicken and mix it with soy sauce, rice wine, salt, and white pepper in a bowl. Let the flavors mingle and soak for a few minutes while you prepare the next steps.

Prepare Crispy Batter

• Egg white
• Cornstarch
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Cold water

Whisk everything until super smooth and silky. Dunk each chicken cube into the batter, ensuring complete coverage.

Chill the battered chicken in the refrigerator to help the coating set perfectly.

Create Honey Glaze

• Honey
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Water
• Cornstarch

Stir until the mixture looks glossy and well-combined.

Set aside for later magic.

Fry Chicken to Golden Perfection

Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet until shimmering hot.

Carefully drop chicken pieces in batches, frying until they turn a gorgeous golden brown. Use tongs to transfer crispy pieces onto paper towels to drain excess oil.

Build Spectacular Sauce

In the same wok, keep a couple tablespoons of leftover oil. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant.

Pour in the honey glaze, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes gloriously glossy.

Combine and Serve

Gently toss the crispy chicken in the warm honey sauce.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for extra crunch. Serve immediately while everything is hot and tantalizing.

Honey Chicken Cooking Tips Worth Trying

• Marinate chicken longer for deeper flavor infusion and tenderness.
• Keep batter cold to achieve crispy, light coating that doesn't absorb excess oil.
• Fry chicken in small batches to maintain high oil temperature and ensure even golden-brown color.
• Use fresh garlic for more aromatic and robust sauce flavor.
• Rest fried chicken on wire rack instead of paper towels to prevent soggy bottoms and maintain crispiness.

Tasty Ways to Switch Up Your Honey Chicken

• Spicy Honey Chicken: Add red chili flakes or sriracha sauce to the honey mixture for a fiery kick, creating a bold and zesty version of the original recipe.
• Lemon Honey Chicken: Incorporate fresh lemon zest and juice into the honey sauce, bringing a bright, citrusy dimension to the dish that complements the sweet chicken.
• Ginger Honey Chicken: Mince fresh ginger and blend it into the honey sauce, introducing a warm, slightly peppery flavor that enhances the overall taste profile.
• Herb-Infused Honey Chicken: Sprinkle chopped fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary into the marinade and sauce, adding an aromatic and earthy complexity to the chicken.

What Goes Great with Honey Chicken

• Pair Honey Chicken with
• – Brighten with Crisp Riesling: A chilled, slightly sweet German white wine perfectly balances the honey's richness and cuts through the chicken's fried crispiness. Its light acidity complements the dish's sweet and savory profile.
• – Serve with Fluffy Jasmine Rice: The delicate, fragrant rice absorbs the honey sauce beautifully, providing a soft textural contrast to the crispy chicken while enhancing the overall flavor experience.
• – Complement with Asian Slaw: A tangy, crunchy cabbage slaw with rice vinegar and a hint of ginger adds fresh, zesty notes that refresh the palate between bites of the sweet and golden chicken.

How to Keep Honey Chicken Tender After Storing

• Refrigerate: Store leftover honey chicken in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Keep refrigerated for 3-4 days maximum.
• Freeze: Transfer cooled chicken to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Seal tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Label with date for tracking.
• Microwave Reheating: Place chicken on microwave-safe plate. Cover with damp paper towel to prevent drying. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until heated through. Avoid overheating to maintain crispiness.
• Oven Reheating: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread chicken on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle few drops of water to prevent drying.

All the Answers to Your Honey Chicken Questions

• Why do I need to marinate the chicken before cooking?

Marinating helps tenderize the meat, infuse flavor, and ensure the chicken stays juicy and flavorful during cooking.

• Can I use different types of chicken for this recipe?

Yes, you can use boneless chicken thighs or breast meat, but cut them into similar-sized cubes for even cooking.

• What's the purpose of refrigerating the battered chicken?

Chilling helps the batter adhere better to the chicken, creating a crispier and more even coating when fried.

• How do I know when the chicken is perfectly fried?

The chicken is done when it turns golden brown and crispy, with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Honey Chicken Recipe

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4.6 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Savor the delightful Honey Chicken that brings Chinese-inspired comfort to your dinner table. Golden-brown chicken pieces glazed with a sweet and tangy sauce promise a memorable meal that satisfies cravings and delights palates.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 lb (500g) boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup pure honey
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Marinade and Seasoning:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 dashes ground white pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Salt and sugar, to taste

Liquid and Binding Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup water, ice cold
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry wine)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons of water
• Oil, for deep frying
• Toasted sesame seeds, for garnishing

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Instructions

1. Submerge chicken cubes in a flavorful marinade, allowing the spices to penetrate for 5 minutes at room temperature.
2. Create a silky frying batter by gently whisking egg white and blending dry ingredients until achieving a smooth consistency. Chill the batter over an ice bath to maintain temperature.
3. Thoroughly coat each marinated chicken piece in the chilled batter, ensuring complete coverage. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help batter adhere.
4. Prepare honey sauce by whisking ingredients until well integrated, creating a glossy, harmonious mixture.
5. Heat cooking oil in a wok until shimmering at high temperature (around 375°F). Carefully fry chicken pieces in small batches, turning occasionally to achieve uniform golden-brown exterior.
6. Transfer crispy chicken to paper towels, allowing excess oil to drain completely.
7. In the same wok, retain 2 tablespoons of residual oil. Sauté minced garlic until aromatic and translucent.
8. Pour prepared honey sauce into the wok, stirring continuously until sauce thickens and develops a glossy sheen.
9. Gently fold fried chicken into the heated sauce, ensuring each piece is luxuriously coated.
10. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the chicken for added texture and visual appeal. Serve piping hot for maximum crispiness.

Notes

• Marinate chicken in advance to enhance flavor absorption and tenderize the meat thoroughly.
• Keep batter chilled by placing the bowl over ice, ensuring a crispy, light coating when frying.
• Fry chicken in small batches to maintain high oil temperature, preventing soggy or greasy texture.
• Gluten-free option: Replace wheat flour with rice flour or cornstarch for a crispy alternative.

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 25 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 60 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg