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Built-to-Last Crispy Honey Chicken Recipe

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4.2 from 4 reviews

This Built-to-last CRISPY Honey Chicken recipe features skinless boneless chicken thighs coated in a light, cold batter and fried twice to achieve an ultra crispy texture. The chicken is tossed in a luscious honey sauce with soy and Chinese cooking wine, served optionally over puffy crispy rice noodles garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. Perfect for a flavor-packed, crunchy dish that’s sure to impress.

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 300g/10oz chicken thighs, skinless boneless, cut into 2.5cm/1″ pieces
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all purpose, NOT dark soy)
  • 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (sub with soy)
  • 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch

Batter

  • 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch
  • 6 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
  • 4 tbsp plain/all purpose flour
  • 7 – 8 tbsp COLD soda water, club soda or seltzer water (NOT sparkling mineral water)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve for table salt)

Frying Oil

  • 2 – 3 cups vegetable oil (or canola)

Honey Sauce

  • 1/3 cup (100g) honey
  • 1.5 tbsp (25g) glucose OR corn syrup (light)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all purpose)
  • 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (or more soy sauce)

Optional Garnishes

  • 25g / 2 oz Vermicelli rice noodles (a wad of it; must be rice noodles, not bean noodles)
  • Sesame seeds
  • Finely sliced green onions

Instructions

  1. Chill Batter Ingredients: Place the batter mixing bowl with flour, baking powder, and salt in the fridge to keep them cold, which helps achieve a crispier chicken coating.
  2. Marinate Chicken: Mix chicken pieces with light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and cornflour in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to infuse flavor and tenderize.
  3. Dust Chicken: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour on a shallow plate. Coat about 8 to 10 chicken pieces by tossing them in cornflour, shake off excess, and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  4. Prepare Frying Setup: Place a rack on a tray for draining fried chicken. Heat vegetable oil in a small pot or large saucepan to 180°C (350°F) over medium-high heat with about 4cm (1.7″) of oil depth.
  5. Make Cold Batter: Whisk together flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually pour in 7 tbsp cold soda water, whisking minimally (about 10 times) to combine while keeping some lumps for texture. Adjust thickness with additional water 1 tsp at a time to ensure batter fully coats chicken but isn’t too thick.
  6. First Fry: Dip 8 chicken pieces into batter, coat thoroughly, then carefully place into hot oil. Fry for 3 minutes until light golden and crispy. Remove to rack to drain. Repeat in batches without crowding the pot to maintain oil temperature.
  7. Cool Chicken: Let the fried chicken rest for 20 minutes to firm up and crisp further while preparing the sauce.
  8. Prepare Honey Sauce: Combine honey, glucose (or corn syrup), light soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes until the consistency resembles maple syrup. Keep warm with lid on.
  9. Second Fry: Heat oil to 200°C (390°F). Fry half the chicken pieces for 90 seconds until they turn a deeper golden color. Remove to rack. Repeat with remaining chicken for ultra crispy texture.
  10. Toss Chicken in Sauce: Quickly toss the double-fried chicken in the warm honey sauce using a rubber spatula to coat evenly before the sauce thickens.
  11. Prepare Crispy Noodles (Optional): While oil is hot, drop a wad of vermicelli rice noodles into the oil. Wait about 3 seconds until they puff up, then remove with tongs. Drain on paper towels.
  12. Serve: Pile the honey-glazed crispy chicken over the crispy noodles (if using), then garnish with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Use light soy sauce, not dark soy, for marinade and sauce to avoid overpowering flavors.
  • Cold soda water is crucial in the batter for a light, crispy coating; avoid sparkling mineral water.
  • Using a rack to drain fried chicken prevents sogginess compared to paper towels.
  • Cooling the chicken between frying stages helps maintain crispiness and ensures the final texture is ‘built-to-last’.
  • Adjust salt amount if using table salt as opposed to kosher or cooking salt.
  • Glucose or light corn syrup adds shine and stickiness to the sauce.
  • Do not over-whisk batter to maintain a slightly lumpy, crispy texture in the coating.
  • Double frying method increases crunchiness and durability of crust.
  • Use rice vermicelli noodles for puffy crispy noodles; bean noodles do not puff correctly.

Find it online: https://cookedbysarah.com/built-to-last-crispy-honey-chicken-recipe/