Chinese honey chicken is a classic Chinese-American dish that has become beloved for its crispy fried chicken coated in a sticky sweet sauce. With its origins linked to Hunan province honey chicken combines Chinese cooking techniques with Western flavors for a unique fusion food. If you love this popular menu item but have wondered what exactly goes into it, read on! We’re doing a deep dive into the ingredients that make up this tantalizing treat.
A Brief History of Honey Chicken
While honey chicken is now a staple on North American Chinese takeout menus, its origins can be traced back to China. The Hunan province in southern China is known for its spicy, bold cuisine, and is thought to be the birthplace of this dish. Chinese immigrants brought their cooking traditions over to America, adapting flavors and cooking techniques to appeal to Western tastes.
The addition of honey creates a sweetness not typically found in traditional Chinese cooking. By battered-frying the chicken and smothering it in a glistening honey glaze, Chinese cooks transformed a savory ingredient into a crowd-pleasing combination of crispy and sticky. The mild flavor of chicken also allows the honey to take center stage. This innovative dish became a hit, cementing its place in American-Chinese cuisine.
The Core Ingredients That Define Honey Chicken
While recipes can vary slightly, a few key ingredients are essential for making authentic honey chicken. Here’s a look at what goes into this favorite:
Chicken
The chicken provides the base protein and flavor. Breast meat or tenderloins are commonly used for their mild taste and uniform texture. Dark meat like thighs can also be used for a juicier, richer flavor. The chicken is cut into bite-sized nuggets or strips that cook quickly and easily absorb the honey glaze.
Batter
A thick, crispy batter provides that essential contrast between the tender chicken and the sticky sauce The batter often contains flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and sometimes eggs The cornstarch lends extra crispiness, while the baking powder gives the coating a light, airy texture.
Oil for Frying
What sets honey chicken apart is the deep-frying that yields an ultra-crispy crust. Peanut, vegetable, or canola oil are commonly used for high-heat frying. The temperature must be carefully regulated to prevent greasiness.
Honey
No surprise here – honey is the star ingredient in both the name and the flavor. The particular type of honey can vary, but clover honey is commonly used for its mild, versatile taste. Honey provides a glistening sheen and distinct sweetness.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce adds a hit of umami savory flavor and saltiness to balance out the honey. Light or regular soy work best to keep the glaze from becoming overly dark
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar provides a tangy counterpoint to the sweet honey. It brightens up the flavor and adds moisture.
Aromatics – Garlic, Ginger
Garlic and ginger are often used to provide a burst of aromatic flavor. They add a subtle heat and complexity.
Thickeners – Cornstarch
A touch of cornstarch helps thicken the sauce so it generously coats each piece of chicken without becoming too runny.
The Step-By-Step Process of Making Honey Chicken
Now that we know what goes into it, let’s look at how this dish comes together:
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Marinate the Chicken: The chicken is tossed in a quick marinade of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and cornstarch to add flavor.
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Toss in Cornstarch: Before battering, each piece is dusted in cornstarch to further seal in moisture.
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Prepare the Thick Batter: The batter is made by whisking together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cold water or soda until thick.
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Deep Fry the Chicken: The battered chicken is fried in hot oil at 350-375°F until golden brown and cooked through.
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Make the Honey Glaze: Whisk together honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and other aromatics in a pan until thickened.
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Toss the Fried Chicken in the Glaze: The fried chicken is tumbled in the glaze until evenly coated in the sticky, sweet sauce.
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Garnish and Serve: The chicken is piled over crispy noodles or rice and garnished with sesame seeds and scallions.
Why We Love This Sweet-Savory Dish
What makes honey chicken so crave-worthy? A few reasons it has become a favorite appetizer or main course:
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Contrasting Textures: The crispy, crackling batter plays perfectly against the tender, juicy chicken.
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Sweet and Savory: Honey balances the saltiness of soy sauce for a tantalizing flavor combo.
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Customizable: Spice-lovers can amp up the heat, while those looking for a new spin can add citrus or Asian accents.
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Simple Ingredients: Easy to whip up for a weekday dinner without hard-to-find ingredients.
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Kid-Friendly: Mild flavors and chicken appeal to young and fussy eaters.
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Comfort Food: Satisfyingly crisp, sweet, and sticky like chicken nuggets but elevated.
So the next time you crack open a glistening piece of honey chicken, you’ll know exactly how this unique fusion food came to be such a beloved menu item!
What You Need To Make Chinese Honey Chicken
- Chicken – I use chicken thighs which are nice, tender and most importantly, juicy. You can use boneless skinless chicken breast as well.
- Soy sauce – Soy sauce is used in both the marinade and the sauce, I use low sodium soy to control the amount of salt but you can definitely use regular soy sauce especially if you want the chicken saltier.
- Shaoxing Wine – This medium-dry wine produced in Shaoxing has a rich, slightly nutty taste. Some good substitutes can be dry sherry or mirin or even just some more chicken broth.
- Egg white – This is going to help bind the flour to the chicken.
- Broth – I use an organic no salt added chicken broth to control the sodium content. This is the base of the sauce.
- Vinegar – Use white wine vinegar which balances the sweetness of the sauce.
- Honey – Use a liquid honey which is the star of this recipe.
- Sugar – Brown sugar, packed for extra sweetness and also add some caramel flavor.
- Flour – Plain white all-purpose flour which gives a nice crispy coating to the chicken.
- Garlic – Minced garlic always adds great flavor.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch will help to thicken up the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds – Used for garnish.
- Oil – Use vegetable oil which is great for high heat and used to fry the chicken.
Super Easy Chinese Honey Chicken
For anyone who regularly orders from a Chinese restaurant, but has always wanted to try making their own, this is a great recipe to try if you’re looking for truly crispy and sticky chicken. The secret is in the method I used to make these, no breading required, just a simple marinade, mix the chicken with flour and fry.
The crispy chicken is then coated with a sweet and slightly salted glazed, that’s effortless and easy to make. This honey chicken has lots of flavor, perfect to serve over some rice for a nice lunch or dinner.
To get more adventurous, here are some of my other recipes such as Szechuan Chili Shrimp, Chow Mein, or Hot and Sour Soup. Don’t feel intimidated though, because most Asian recipes tend to have a lot of ingredients, but are really very easy to make. Once you have everything ready, the cooking time is minimal.
How to make delicious honey chicken at home
FAQ
What is Chinese honey chicken?
Chinese honey chicken is a dish featuring fried, battered chicken pieces coated in a sweet, honey-based sauce. It’s a popular Australian-Chinese dish, known for its crispy texture and sweet, savory flavor.
What ingredients are in honey chicken?
Honey chicken typically includes chicken (breast or thighs, cut into pieces), honey, soy sauce, and often garlic, ginger, and cornstarch for the coating.
What’s the difference between sesame chicken and honey chicken?
Honey chicken and sesame chicken are both popular sweet and savory dishes, but they differ primarily in their sauces. Honey chicken features a sweet glaze made with honey, often with soy sauce and ginger. Sesame chicken, while also sweet, tends to have a more balanced flavor profile, incorporating sesame oil, soy sauce, and often a touch of vinegar or chili for a bit of tanginess.
What does honey chicken taste like?
Honey chicken generally tastes sweet and savory, with the dominant flavor being honey. The chicken is typically crispy and the sauce adds a layer of sweetness that can be balanced by soy sauce or other savory ingredients.
What is Chinese honey chicken made of?
The chicken is typically deep-fried until crispy, then sautéed in a wok or pan with a glaze made from honey, soy sauce, garlic, and other seasonings. This mouthwatering dish is often served with steamed rice or noodles, making it a satisfying and flavorful meal. How is Chinese honey chicken cooked?
What is honey chicken?
Honey chicken is a popular Chinese dish that originated in the Hunan province of China. It is a sweet and savory dish that features crispy chicken pieces coated in a sticky honey sauce. How is honey chicken prepared? To prepare honey chicken, bite-sized pieces of chicken are typically coated in a seasoned flour mixture and then fried until crispy.
What does Chinese honey chicken taste like?
Chinese honey chicken gets its unique flavor from the combination of sweet honey and savory soy sauce. The garlic and ginger in the sauce add depth and aroma to the dish. The crispy texture of the fried chicken complements the sticky honey sauce, creating a well-balanced flavor profile. Is Chinese honey chicken healthy?
How to make Chinese honey chicken?
To make Chinese honey chicken at home, you will need boneless chicken breasts or thighs, honey, soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. First, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and marinate them in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper for at least an hour.
How do you make honey chicken?
To prepare honey chicken, bite-sized pieces of chicken are typically coated in a seasoned flour mixture and then fried until crispy. The chicken is then tossed in a sticky honey-based sauce made with ingredients such as honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. What gives honey chicken its unique flavor?
Is Chinese honey chicken a traditional dish?
Chinese honey chicken is not considered a traditional Chinese dish. It is believed to have been developed as a Westernized adaptation of Chinese cuisine, specifically catering to Western palates. Nevertheless, it has become widely loved and enjoyed both in China and around the world. Can Chinese honey chicken be made in an air fryer?