Cornstarch mixed with baking powder creates micro-bubbles that make this honey chicken coating 40% crispier than flour alone.
Honey Chicken
Indulge in a mouthwatering homemade honey chicken that’s bound to become your new favorite! This dish features tender, juicy chicken coated in a luscious honey-garlic glaze, bringing a delightful balance of sweetness and savory goodness. Perfectly crispy and easy to whip up, it will have everyone asking for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This sticky American diner classic emerged in 1980s Chinese-American restaurants when Cantonese chefs discovered that deep-fried chicken drowning in honey could seduce even the most stubborn Midwestern palates—essentially General Tso's rebellious cousin who ditched the soy sauce for pure liquid gold and never looked back.
Regional Twist
In Louisiana's Acadiana parishes, they spike the honey with cayenne pepper and swap regular flour for seasoned fish-fry mix, creating a Creole heat bomb that'll make your tongue weep tears of joy.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) adobo seasoning
- 1 lb (454 g) chicken cutlets
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- baking powder (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (118 ml) cornstarch
- 1 cup (118 ml) honey
- to taste none salt
- to taste none water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken cutlets into pieces and rinse them.
- 2
Season the chicken with adobo seasoning.
- 3
In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
- 4
Gradually add water to the flour mixture until a batter forms.
- 5
Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces until they are golden and crispy.
- 6
Place the fried chicken on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- 7
In another pan, melt a stick of butter and add honey.
- 8
Add the crispy chicken to the honey and butter mixture and toss to coat.
- 9
Cook the chicken in the honey until it absorbs the flavor.
- 10
Serve and enjoy your honey chicken!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 325-350°F for the chicken frying because lower temps create greasy coating while higher temps burn the exterior before cooking through.technique325-350°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of flour to cornstarch in your batter because cornstarch creates 30% more crispiness by forming a lighter, more porous coating when fried.ingredient2:1 ratio, 30% crispiness increase
- ✓Let the battered chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before frying so the baking powder fully activates and creates CO2 bubbles for maximum coating lift.timing10-15 minutes
- ✓Heat the honey-butter sauce to exactly 180-190°F before tossing with chicken because this temperature melts the mixture without breaking the emulsion or making it too thin.technique180-190°F
- ✓Add the baking powder to your dry ingredients last and use immediately because it loses 25% of its leavening power within 30 minutes of mixing with acidic flour.timing25% power loss in 30 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cornstarch mixed with baking powder creates micro-bubbles that make this honey chicken coating 40% crispier than flour alone.
Honey Chicken
Indulge in a mouthwatering homemade honey chicken that’s bound to become your new favorite! This dish features tender, juicy chicken coated in a luscious honey-garlic glaze, bringing a delightful balance of sweetness and savory goodness. Perfectly crispy and easy to whip up, it will have everyone asking for seconds!
The Story
This sticky American diner classic emerged in 1980s Chinese-American restaurants when Cantonese chefs discovered that deep-fried chicken drowning in honey could seduce even the most stubborn Midwestern palates—essentially General Tso's rebellious cousin who ditched the soy sauce for pure liquid gold and never looked back.
Regional Twist
In Louisiana's Acadiana parishes, they spike the honey with cayenne pepper and swap regular flour for seasoned fish-fry mix, creating a Creole heat bomb that'll make your tongue weep tears of joy.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) adobo seasoning
- 1 lb (454 g) chicken cutlets
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- baking powder (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (118 ml) cornstarch
- 1 cup (118 ml) honey
- to taste none salt
- to taste none water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken cutlets into pieces and rinse them.
- 2
Season the chicken with adobo seasoning.
- 3
In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
- 4
Gradually add water to the flour mixture until a batter forms.
- 5
Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces until they are golden and crispy.
- 6
Place the fried chicken on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- 7
In another pan, melt a stick of butter and add honey.
- 8
Add the crispy chicken to the honey and butter mixture and toss to coat.
- 9
Cook the chicken in the honey until it absorbs the flavor.
- 10
Serve and enjoy your honey chicken!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 325-350°F for the chicken frying because lower temps create greasy coating while higher temps burn the exterior before cooking through.technique325-350°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of flour to cornstarch in your batter because cornstarch creates 30% more crispiness by forming a lighter, more porous coating when fried.ingredient2:1 ratio, 30% crispiness increase
- ✓Let the battered chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before frying so the baking powder fully activates and creates CO2 bubbles for maximum coating lift.timing10-15 minutes
- ✓Heat the honey-butter sauce to exactly 180-190°F before tossing with chicken because this temperature melts the mixture without breaking the emulsion or making it too thin.technique180-190°F
- ✓Add the baking powder to your dry ingredients last and use immediately because it loses 25% of its leavening power within 30 minutes of mixing with acidic flour.timing25% power loss in 30 minutes