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Honey chicken

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  • Dairy free
  • Egg free
  • Lactose free
  • Peanut free
  • Nut free
  • Shellfish free
  • Seafood free
  • High in protein

If you love this sweet and savoury takeaway classic, try our homemade honey chicken recipe for a satisfying weeknight family meal.

  • Serves4
  • Cook time25 minutes
  • Prep time25 minutes, + 30 mins marinating
Honey chicken

Ingredients

  • 800g chicken breast fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs Chinese rice wine
  • 1 tbs cornflour
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
  • 1/2 cup (75g) cornflour, extra
  • 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • Steamed rice, to serve

Batter

  • 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
  • 1/2 cup (75g) cornflour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (250ml) chilled soda water

Honey sauce

  • 1/2 cup (125ml) honey
  • 1 tbs glucose syrup
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Chinese rice wine

Nutritional information

Per serve: Energy: 5537kJ/1325 Cals (64%), Protein: 53g (106%), Fat: 21g (30%), Sat Fat: 3g (13%), Sodium: 993mg (50%), Carb: 217g (70%), Sugar: 40g (44%), Dietary Fibre: 2g (7%).

Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.

Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Combine the chicken, soy, wine, cornflour and oil in a medium bowl. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 mins to marinate.

  2. Step 2

    To make the batter, place the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in soda water until just combined to make a thin batter.

  3. Step 3

    Half fill a deep-fryer or large heavy-based saucepan with oil and heat to 200°C (when oil is ready, a cube of bread turns golden brown in 10 secs). Meanwhile, place the extra cornflour on a plate. Add the chicken, in batches, and turn to coat, shaking off excess. Dip chicken in the batter, allowing excess batter to drain. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil and cook, in batches, for 4 mins or until golden, crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack over a baking tray lined with a paper towel.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, to make the honey sauce, combine the honey, glucose syrup, soy, lemon juice and wine in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture boils, then simmer for 2 mins or until sauce thickens slightly. Reduce heat to low and keep sauce warm until ready to use.

  5. Step 5

    Place chicken in a large bowl, pour over honey sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Stir to coat.

  6. Step 6

    Serve chicken sprinkled with spring onions and serve with steamed rice.

Recipe tip

COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Use it up: Why not make use of that lovely lemon rind by turning it into a delicious drizzle cake.

Honey chicken recipe

Honey chicken is a classic Chinese takeaway dish and a popular Aussie favourite, with tender marinated chicken battered and fried crispy, then served with a sweet honey sauce. It’s no wonder this delightful dish is a regular on Chinese banquet menus and takeaway orders. Where did the recipe for honey chicken originate? Fan favourite dishes such as honey prawns, lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork and honey chicken are most likely a result of authentic Chinese recipes being westernised to suit local palates.

How to make honey chicken

Making this honey chicken recipe only requires a few basic steps – marinate, batter, fry and coat! Marinating the chicken not only infuses the meat with flavour, but also helps to make it more tender. When it comes to frying the chicken, an easy way to test the temperature of the oil is to drop a small cube of bread into it – if it turns brown within 10 seconds, you’re ready to cook. Battering the chicken pieces as you go will ensure the best results. Before you begin cooking, ensure you have everything prepared in advance and arranged in an assembly line, beginning with the marinated chicken, a plate or bowl with the extra cornflour, and finally, the batter.

The perfect sides for honey chicken

If you would like to serve some sides with our crispy honey chicken recipe, adding steamed rice and mixed Asian greens are the perfect dishes.

Love this recipe?

Looking for more Chinese-inspired recipes? If you would like to cook a honey chicken version without batter, try this honey soy chicken stir fry. And while you’re at it, you may want to whip up a batch of money bags to serve alongside it.

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