This honey chicken recipe is crispy pieces of chicken breast that are fried to golden brown perfection, then tossed in a sweet and savory honey sauce. A homemade version of the takeout classic that tastes even better than what you would get at a restaurant!

My family loves when I prepare some of our favorite Asian food recipes at home including pork fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, egg rolls and this amazingly delicious honey chicken. Add a side of rice and dinner is served!

A pan of crispy honey chicken garnished with green onions.

Whenever I eat at P.F. Chang’s I have to order the honey chicken. I just can’t resist that combination of ultra crispy chicken with the sweetness of the flavorful sauce! This copycat version is simple to make, and is sure to please the whole family.

Honey Chicken Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need boneless skinless chicken breasts, eggs, salt, black pepper, all purpose flour, corn starch, oil, green onions, honey, soy sauce, water, sesame oil and apple cider vinegar.

How Do You Make Honey Chicken?

The first step is to cook up the chicken. Dip pieces of chicken breast into a seasoned egg mixture, then coat them in a blend of cornstarch and flour. Fry the chicken until it’s golden brown and cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Place honey, soy sauce and seasonings in a pan or large skillet, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in a little corn starch to thicken the sauce. Toss the cooked chicken pieces in the sauce, then garnish with green onions and enjoy.

Bowls of diced chicken, eggs and flour.

Tips For The Perfect Chicken

  • Be sure to use a frying thermometer so that you can closely monitor the temperature of the oil. If the oil is too hot, the coating can burn before the chicken is cooked through. If the oil is too cold, the chicken will absorb excess grease.
  • This dish is best served immediately as the chicken coating will eventually soften as it soaks up the sauce. If you’d like to have leftovers for another day, plan to store a portion of the crispy chicken separate from the sauce. That way you can reheat the chicken and sauce on their own, and the dish will maintain its flavor and texture.
  • I typically use a basic clover honey for this dish, but other varieties of honey will also work. I recommend using a milder flavor honey so that the flavor of the sauce doesn’t overpower the meat.

Quick Tip

Use a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil.

Chicken pieces coated in corn starch and flour.

Flavor Variations

While I love this recipe as written, sometimes I use other ingredients for a different flavor.

  • Protein: Try using pieces of chicken thighs instead of breasts for a richer flavor. Another option is to use medium sized shrimp. If you use shrimp, they will have a shorter cooking time.
  • Vegetables: Feel free to add some cooked vegetables to the chicken and sauce. Some good options include broccoli, zucchini or carrots.
  • Flavorings: Love spicy food? Add some heat to the sauce with sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes to taste. You can also add minced garlic cloves, or try sprinkling some sesame seeds over the finished dish.
Deep fried chicken pieces on a sheet pan.

Recipe FAQs

What is honey chicken made of?

Honey chicken contains pieces of fried breaded chicken in a sauce of honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar.

What to serve with honey chicken?

While I often serve this dish over steamed white rice, other great grain options include crispy fried rice noodles, quinoa, brown rice, or a boiled rice or egg noodle. If you’re looking to save a few carbs, try serving your honey chicken over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.

Is honey chicken the same as orange chicken?

Honey chicken and orange chicken are similar in that they both contain breaded pieces of chicken in a sweet sauce. Orange chicken has a strong citrus flavor, but honey chicken does not contain any citrus.

FOLLOW ME

Honey chicken served over a bowl of steamed rice.

This dish is full of bold flavors and is just as good as anything you’d get at your favorite Asian restaurant!

More Asian Food Favorites

Honey Chicken Video

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Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

5 from 43 votes

Honey Chicken

AuthorSara Welch
A pan of crispy honey chicken garnished with green onions.
This honey chicken is crispy pieces of chicken breast that are fried to golden brown perfection, then tossed in a sweet and savory honey sauce. A homemade version of the takeout classic that tastes even better than what you would get at a restaurant!
Time
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Serves 6

Ingredients 

For the chicken

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • oil for frying canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced

For the sauce

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water divided use
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions 

For the chicken

  • Place the eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Place the flour and 1/2 cup corn starch in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Stir to combine.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the flour. Repeat the process with all of the chicken.
  • Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F.
  • Add 7-8 pieces of chicken to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
  • Drain the chicken on paper towels.

For the sauce

  • While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Place the honey, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, sesame oil and apple cider vinegar in a small pan. Bring to a simmer.
  • Mix the corn starch with the remaining tablespoon of water. Pour the corn starch mixture into the honey mixture. 
  • Bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  • Toss the honey sauce with the chicken. Sprinkle with green onions, then serve.

Notes

  1. Be sure to use a frying thermometer so that you can closely monitor the temperature of the oil. If the oil is too hot, the coating can burn before the chicken is cooked through. If the oil is too cold, the chicken will absorb excess grease.
  2. This dish is best served immediately as the chicken coating will eventually soften as it soaks up the sauce. If you’d like to have leftovers for another day, plan to store a portion of the crispy chicken separate from the sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 471mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 9.2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is sooo good! i made this with rice, and tossed some steamed broccoli in with the sauce and the chicken. I’m a vegetarian so I used Quorn brand meatless pieces, which is fake meat and it still tasted sooo good!!! I 10/10 recommend this delicious recipe, thank you!

  2. Would the chicken turn out if you sprayed them with some oil and put them in the air fryer instead of deep frying them?

  3. 5 stars
    OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
    I am a mom in a blended family with 4 teenagers…. 2 are picky eaters and 1 thinks everything I make is “disgusting”. I found your website 2 days ago, and tried this recipe tonight with 4.5lbs of chicken thighs. HARDLY A SPECK LEFT!!! They asked how so I can make this again!!! Thank you so very much!!

  4. 5 stars
    Honey chicken is one of my favorite recipes to order when we eat out! This looks better than any restaurant version I have tried! Excited to enjoy this for dinner tonight!

  5. 5 stars
    My kids LOVE PF Changs but of course we can’t go now. Can I tell you how excited they were when I made this as a surprise?! Honestly, I think it’s better than PF Changs (shhhhh).

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe was a huge hit at my house. It’s so good. We will be adding it to our regular dinner rotation.

  7. 5 stars
    This honey chicken has the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors! Crispy too. I served mine over cauliflower rice with sautéed sugar snap peas on the side. Delicious!

  8. 5 stars
    My kids made this last night and they LOVED it! They made a “happy” plate and didn’t complain one bit.