NEW ORLEANS — When you fry something and you want it to be extra crispy, cornstarch is the way to go. Keeping chicken cold before you fry it is another way to give your chicken a better fry.
Typically, you want to add salt to the chicken as soon as it comes out of the fryer, so it can adhere. But not with this recipe; that's where the sauce comes in.
This recipe calls for a wok, but you can also use a nonstick skillet instead.
Here's what you'll need:
Homemade Honey Chicken
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Oil, for deep-frying
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 4 tsp. of water
- salt and sugar to taste
- toasted sesame seeds and green onions for garnishing
- Marinade
- 1/2 tsp.salt
- 1 tsp white pepper, ground
Batter
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup water, ice cold
- 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Honey Sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry wine
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
Here's how to do it:
- Marinate the chicken cubes with marinade for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg white and add in the rest of the batter ingredients.
- The batter should be smooth and not lumpy.
- Place another bowl with ice cubes underneath the batter bowl.
- Drop in the chicken, mix well until they are well coated.
- Let it sit for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together. Set aside.
- Heat up a wok on high heat with cooking oil.
- Gently drop in the chicken, one by one, making sure it is spread out to prevent sticking or overcrowding the wok.
- Turn the heat down to medium-high and continue to deep-fry until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken with a strainer and drain on paper towels.
- Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the oil in the wok.
- Add the garlic and stir fry until aromatic.
- Add the sauce mixture and the cornstarch mixture.
- Thicken the sauce and add more salt or sugar to taste.
- Add the chicken into the sauce. Stir to combine well.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and serve immediately.
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