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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crisp golden bites coated in a glossy, caramelized amber honey garlic sauce. Fried chicken gets tossed until fully coated, then served over rice with sesame and green onion garnish.
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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
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 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 large egg Beaten.
Frying
  • 1 vegetable oil For frying; heat to 375°F.
Honey garlic sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with 2 tablespoons water for slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
Garnish
  • 0.25 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions Sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a bowl.
  2. Dip the bite-sized chicken pieces in the beaten egg, then dredge in the flour mixture until evenly coated.
Fry until golden
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 375°F, maintaining a steady temperature as you fry.
  2. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes until deep golden and cooked through, then drain on a rack or paper towels.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in sesame oil.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until fully coated and the surface looks sticky and shiny.
  2. Serve over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays at 375°F and the coating can crisp before saucing. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer to regain crunch (sauce may dull). Freezing is not recommended because the breading texture softens after thawing. If you want a lower-sugar option, use a honey alternative or reduce honey slightly while keeping the soy sauce and vinegar amounts the same for balance.