I hate deep frying food as much as you do, and I try to avoid it as much as possible. But sometimes I do crave the crispy battered honey chicken, like you’d eat at a Chinese restaurant. After much trial and error, I finally found the best solution. It creates the crispiest chicken with less oil and you only need to pan fry it. In fact, the batter works so well and the chicken stays crispy even after you coat it with sauce. Sound amazing? Let’s look at how the recipe works.
Cooking notes
1. How to make crispy chicken without deep frying
Now here is the trick to creating crispy chicken with a crunchy coating that is like the takeout you’d get from Chinese restaurants, without making a mess. Simply use the formula: oil + salt + egg + cornstarch You first use the oil and salt to marinate the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes. Then you coat the chicken with beaten egg and cornstarch before pan frying. Yes, it is this easy! Normally, deep frying requires at least a few cups of oil. For this recipe, you only need to use a regular skillet and 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of oil to pan fry the chicken. Not only does it yield an extra crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful meat, but the chicken also stays crispy even after you coat it with sauce.
2. Use any cut of chicken you like
Although I always prefer chicken thighs, you can use chicken breast and create awesome results, as well. Just remember to cut the chicken into 1-inch to 1 and 1/4-inch pieces. The size of the chicken pieces matters because you want the surface to turn crispy and have the inside just cooked through at the same time. It doesn’t matter if you use breasts or thighs. I’ve tried both and they both turned out awesome.
3. Create an extra flavorful sauce that’s a bit healthier
This recipe uses plenty of fresh herbs such as ginger and garlic. The Shaoxing wine and rice vinegar also add richness to the sauce. Many recipes out there use half a cup (or a whole cup!) of honey. This one uses just a quarter cup, but I guarantee the results will be amazing. Ready to make some killer honey chicken at home? Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy the dish as much as I do!
More Chinese takeout recipes
Chinese Beef and Broccoli (One-Pan Takeout) Sweet and Sour Chicken (Without Deep Frying) Black Pepper Chicken General Tso Tofu (Crispy Tofu without Deep Frying) Real-Deal Beef Chow Fun
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
