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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crisp golden bites and a sticky glossy honey garlic sauce that caramelizes into deep amber. Fried chicken is tossed last so the coating stays crunchy, then served over rice with sesame seeds and green onions.
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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: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken thighs
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
breading
  • 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
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
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
garnish
  • 1 Sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 green onions for garnish
serving
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Dredge the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a bowl until evenly combined (visual cue: no dry clumps).
  2. Dip the bite-sized chicken pieces in the beaten egg, letting excess drip off (visual cue: chicken looks lightly coated and glossy).
  3. Dredge the egg-coated chicken in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres (visual cue: chicken is fully dusted and opaque).
Fry until crisp
  1. Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F in a cast iron skillet (visual cue: oil gently shimmers).
  2. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes at 375°F until deep golden and cooked through (visual cue: bubbles slow and coating turns crisp-golden).
  3. Drain the fried chicken on a rack or paper towels (visual cue: surface stays crisp with minimal steam).
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer (visual cue: small active bubbles around edges).
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes until thickened (visual cue: sauce clings to a spoon and looks glossy).
  3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in sesame oil (visual cue: sauce looks darker and more fragrant).
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until fully coated (visual cue: every piece is lacquered with a shiny amber glaze).
  2. Serve over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions (visual cue: garnish is scattered bright green and beige over the rice).

Notes

For the crispiest texture, fry in batches so the oil temperature stays near 375°F and toss with the sauce right before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer for best crunch (microwaving softens the coating). Freezing is not recommended because the fried texture won’t hold. If you want a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.