Chinese honey chicken

There's a secret to ensuring the batter in honey chicken stays crisp even after it’s been glazed in the glossy honey sauce, in true takeaway style – and you will find it in this recipe.

Credit: Sippakorn Wongthanapa

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 600g chicken thigh or breast, cut into roughly 3 cm pieces
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
• 30 g (¼ cup) finely sliced spring onion 
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Marinade

• 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine (see Note)
• 1 tsp sea salt 
• ⅛ tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp ginger juice (squeezed from 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger)

Honey sauce

• 175 g (½ cup) honey
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp Chinese light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Batter

• 175 g (1 cup) potato starch
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 185 ml (¾ cup) cold water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to combine well. Set aside.
2. To make the honey sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat.
3. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the flavours have intensified (the sauce will thicken as it cools). Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. To make the batter, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
5. Fill a wok or large saucepan to about one-third capacity with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil to 170°C or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces lots of bubbles. Place the flour on a tray and place a wire cooling rack over another tray.
6. When the oil is at temperature, lightly toss the marinated chicken in the flour. Add half the chicken to the batter mixture and stir until each piece is well coated. Carefully place the battered chicken into the hot oil, one piece at a time. Cook, turning regularly for 4-5 minutes or until the batter is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack to drain and repeat with the remaining chicken and batter.
7. Allow the chicken to cool for 2-3 minutes. Reheat the oil back up to 170°C, then carefully place all the chicken into the hot oil (you can do this in one batch if you’re using a large wok). Fry the chicken, turning regularly, for another 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to the rack to drain and season with salt.
8. Pour out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil in the wok. Place the wok back over medium-high heat. Add the honey sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the battered chicken. And toss for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is well coated. Add the spring onion and toss until well combined. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Note

Chinese Shaoxing wine is a fermented rice wine used in Chinese cuisine to enhance flavour and tenderise meats. If you’d like to keep this recipe alcohol-free you can substitute apple juice.

Watch how to make this recipe in Episode 7 of Marion Grasby's Flavours Of Heart & Home streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.