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Home » Asian Food » Honey Chicken

Published: May 6, 2020 Last Modified: May 14, 2020 By Sara 37 Comments

Honey Chicken

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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.

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!

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

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. 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 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 sauce! This copycat version is simple to make, and is sure to please the whole family.

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 corn starch 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, 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 top 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 my honey chicken, 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 chicken.
  • 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.
  • Vegetables: Feel free to add some cooked vegetables to the chicken and sauce, some good options include broccoli, zucchini or carrots.
  • Spice: Love spicy food? Add some heat to the sauce with sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Deep fried chicken pieces on a sheet pan.

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.

Honey chicken served over a bowl of steamed rice.

You cannot go wrong with this dish – it’s packed with bold flavors and is just as good as anything you’d get at your favorite Asian restaurant!

More Asian food favorites

  • General Tso’s Chicken
  • Beef Chow Mein
  • Potstickers
  • Fried Wontons
  • Chicken Fried Rice

Honey Chicken Video

A pan of crispy honey chicken garnished with green onions.
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5 from 23 votes

Honey Chicken

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!
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 323kcal
Author Sara Welch

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 cornstarch
  • 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.

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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Filed Under: Asian Food, Dinner

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    Comments

    1. Kathy says

      January 23, 2023 at 11:27 am

      Could you use rice vinegar instead of the apple cider vinegar?

      Reply
    2. S says

      August 20, 2022 at 3:22 pm

      I think I will try this with hot honey. I love spicy things and this looks really good.

      Reply
    3. shawn says

      January 19, 2022 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      I love breaded, fried food, but it doesn’t love me, so I made this without the breading and it is still so delicious. Definitely going in the rotation!

      Reply
    4. Lacy says

      July 3, 2021 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      I first tried to make this recipe using my Air Fryer instead of frying the chicken and it was not good. No fault of the recipe though as I did not follow it!

      I then made it again and cut the corn starch out of the chicken coating, just dipping it in egg and then flour and it was wonderful!

      Reply
    5. Debbie Tkaczyk says

      April 19, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      I made the Honey Chicken, this recipe was truly amazing, I doubled the sauce bc I had a lot of cubed chicken pieces, in the end, I will be cooking this recipe again, and I added chopped onion and chopped mushrooms as I wanted to use these ingredients while they were fresh. Thank you. I had a chance to at least taste some it Honey Chicken, I’ll make even more sauce the next time.

      Reply
    6. Nicole says

      March 17, 2021 at 7:59 pm

      Made this tonight and it was excellent. I love your recipes!

      Reply
    7. Samantha says

      March 9, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      Hi, is there a specific brand of honey and sesame oil that you recommend?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 9, 2021 at 7:27 pm

        I just use clover honey and either Dynasty or Trader Joe’s sesame oil

        Reply
    8. Catherine Dickey says

      January 16, 2021 at 9:43 pm

      For the comments I READ WILL SOON TRY THIS RECIPE LOVE the honey part you add

      Reply
    9. Heathrr says

      January 15, 2021 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe. My husband and kids LOVED it. Will make it again

      Reply
    10. Kristy says

      August 14, 2020 at 10:55 am

      Is there anything I could substitute for the sesame oil?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        August 14, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        There’s not a great substitute you’d need to omit it!

        Reply
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