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Crispy Chinese Honey Garlic Chicken

Crispy Chinese honey garlic chicken with shatteringly crisp, golden chicken bites coated in a glossy honey garlic sauce that caramelizes into deep amber. Quick frying + a thickened honey garlic sauce makes an easy Chinese-American dinner that looks like takeout.
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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: 780
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 egg Beaten
Frying
  • Vegetable oil For frying
Honey garlic sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 garlic Minced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds For garnish
  • green onions For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper in a bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the beaten egg, then dredge in the flour mixture until evenly coated.
Fry until shatteringly crisp
  1. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes until deep golden and cooked through, then drain on a sheet pan for a few minutes.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, garlic, and rice vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2-3 minutes until glossy and thickened.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in sesame oil until the sauce smells fragrant and smooth.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey garlic sauce until every piece is fully coated. Serve immediately over steamed rice, then top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For maximum crisp, fry in small batches so the oil stays close to 375°F; keep the chicken moving through the batches and drain well before saucing. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer at 400°F to restore crunch (avoid microwaving if you want crisp). Freezing isn’t recommended because the coating softens after thawing. If you want a gluten-free option, swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend and use gluten-free soy sauce.