Cornstarch creates that glossy restaurant coating because it forms stronger protein bonds than flour when heated above 185°F.
Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this vibrant Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken! Bursting with flavor from a tantalizing blend of honey, garlic, and a kick of spice, this dish not only satisfies your cravings but also makes for a fantastic meal prep option. Whip it up in under 30 minutes and enjoy a satisfying, healthier twist on your favorite takeout!
Prep
20
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This sticky-sweet sensation emerged from 1980s Chinese-American takeaway kitchens in San Francisco's Richmond District, where Cantonese chefs discovered that drowning their traditional soy-garlic chicken in American wildflower honey created the perfect bridge between ancient Guangdong province cooking and suburban California's insatiable sweet tooth—basically dim sum meets county fair in one gloriously messy plate.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they swap the wildflower honey for Korean acacia honey and double the chili flakes, adding gochujang paste for that proper Korean heat that'll make your sinuses surrender.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili flakes
- ½ bunch green onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- chicken broth (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- fresh ground pepper (to taste)
- garlic cloves (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- low sodium soy sauce (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, toss chicken with minced garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Mix well and let marinate for 20 mins.
- 2
To a skillet on medium high heat add a good drizzle of olive oil.
- 3
Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once halfway through.
- 4
Next, add chili flakes and honey. Make sure to stir well and coat the chicken.
- 5
Top with green onions and serve over jasmine rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for exactly 20-30 minutes with cornstarch because longer exposure to soy sauce's sodium breaks down proteins excessively, creating mushy texture.timing20-30 minutes
- ✓Heat your skillet to 375-400°F before adding chicken so the cornstarch coating creates an immediate crust, preventing the honey from burning when added later.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of honey to chili flakes because honey's fructose caramelizes at 230°F while capsaicin compounds remain stable, creating balanced heat without bitterness.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add honey only in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking since fructose burns at 230°F, well below chicken's safe internal temperature of 165°F.timing2-3 minutes, 230°F burn point
- ✓Reserve green onion whites for cooking with the honey glaze and greens for garnish, as allicin compounds in whites complement honey's sweetness while greens provide fresh contrast.technique
Share this recipe
Prep
20
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cornstarch creates that glossy restaurant coating because it forms stronger protein bonds than flour when heated above 185°F.
Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this vibrant Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken! Bursting with flavor from a tantalizing blend of honey, garlic, and a kick of spice, this dish not only satisfies your cravings but also makes for a fantastic meal prep option. Whip it up in under 30 minutes and enjoy a satisfying, healthier twist on your favorite takeout!
The Story
This sticky-sweet sensation emerged from 1980s Chinese-American takeaway kitchens in San Francisco's Richmond District, where Cantonese chefs discovered that drowning their traditional soy-garlic chicken in American wildflower honey created the perfect bridge between ancient Guangdong province cooking and suburban California's insatiable sweet tooth—basically dim sum meets county fair in one gloriously messy plate.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they swap the wildflower honey for Korean acacia honey and double the chili flakes, adding gochujang paste for that proper Korean heat that'll make your sinuses surrender.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili flakes
- ½ bunch green onions
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- chicken broth (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- fresh ground pepper (to taste)
- garlic cloves (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- low sodium soy sauce (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, toss chicken with minced garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Mix well and let marinate for 20 mins.
- 2
To a skillet on medium high heat add a good drizzle of olive oil.
- 3
Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once halfway through.
- 4
Next, add chili flakes and honey. Make sure to stir well and coat the chicken.
- 5
Top with green onions and serve over jasmine rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for exactly 20-30 minutes with cornstarch because longer exposure to soy sauce's sodium breaks down proteins excessively, creating mushy texture.timing20-30 minutes
- ✓Heat your skillet to 375-400°F before adding chicken so the cornstarch coating creates an immediate crust, preventing the honey from burning when added later.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of honey to chili flakes because honey's fructose caramelizes at 230°F while capsaicin compounds remain stable, creating balanced heat without bitterness.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Add honey only in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking since fructose burns at 230°F, well below chicken's safe internal temperature of 165°F.timing2-3 minutes, 230°F burn point
- ✓Reserve green onion whites for cooking with the honey glaze and greens for garnish, as allicin compounds in whites complement honey's sweetness while greens provide fresh contrast.technique