Description
Sweet and Spicy Honey Pepper Chicken is a flavorful Asian-inspired main course featuring crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a sticky, spicy honey glaze. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this dish balances sweet honey with crushed red pepper flakes and soy sauce for a delightful kick. Garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, it pairs wonderfully with rice or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (for thickening)
Garnish (Optional)
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Coating: In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until well combined to create the dry coating for the chicken.
- Prepare the Egg Wash: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. This will help the coating adhere to the chicken pieces.
- Coat the Chicken: Dip each bite-sized chicken piece into the beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with the cornstarch-flour mixture, ensuring each piece is fully covered.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches, avoiding overcrowding, until they turn golden brown and are cooked through, approximately 4–5 minutes per batch.
- Drain the Chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain excess oil, keeping them crispy and ready for the sauce.
- Make the Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken the Sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook for 1–2 minutes while stirring to allow the sauce to thicken to a glossy consistency.
- Coat the Chicken in Sauce: Toss the fried chicken pieces in the thickened honey pepper sauce until they are evenly coated and flavorful.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally, sprinkle chopped green onions and sesame seeds over the chicken. Serve hot with steamed rice or vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to increase or decrease the spiciness according to your preference.
- For a healthier alternative, bake or air-fry the chicken pieces instead of frying.
- Make sure to fry the chicken in batches to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
- The cornstarch slurry is essential for thickening the sauce without clumps.
