Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken

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When you’re craving something sweet and spicy, look no further than this Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken! It offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors with crunchy fried chicken and tender vegetables tossed in a delicious honey chili sauce, this dish is sure to become a family favorite.

Chicken is combined with vegetable and sauce is a skillet.

Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken is perfect for any occasion. Make it when you need a quick, flavorful meal on a weeknight, or serve it as a special dish on a weekend. It also makes a great addition to a potluck party menu, as the mix of tastes and textures are sure to be a hit with every person.

Why You’lI Love This Recipe
Honey Chilli Chicken Ingredients
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
How To Make Honey Chilli Chicken
Tips To Perfect This Recipe
What to Serve with Chilli Honey Chicken
Storing and Reheating
Alternative Cooking Methods
Frequently Asked Questions
More Asian Chicken Recipes
Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken Recipe

Why You’lI Love This Recipe

It’s customizable. You can adjust this recipe to suit your preferences, whether you want a little or a lot of heat and add your favorite veggies.
Versatile: It can be served as a main dish with rice or noodles, or as an appetizer at parties.
Bold Flavors: The perfect balance of sweetness from honey and heat from chilies creates a unique flavor profile that’s sure to please any palate.
It’s impressive (but easy!). The different colors and textures in this dish make it very impressive to serve, but it comes together in just 40 minutes.

Honey Chilli Chicken Ingredients

Ingredients needed for crispy honey chili chicken.

Chicken: Use two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces.
Seasoned flour: All-purpose flour mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and cumin gives the coating a delicious taste.
Buttermilk: Tangy buttermilk makes a great coating.
Vegetable oil: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point will work for the frying and sauce.
Garlic: Minced garlic gives this dish a fresh taste.
Vegetables: Vegetables add a crunch, color, and flavor.
Wet sauce ingredients: Sesame oil, honey, water, and soy sauce make the base of the sauce.
Cornstarch slurry: Mixing cornstarch and water and then stirring it into the sauce thickens it and gives it a velvety texture.
Red pepper flakes: Crushed red pepper gives this dish heat.
Garnish: Sesame seeds and green onions sprinkled on top give the dish a fresh look and delicious crunch.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a juicier texture or even tofu or paneer for a vegetarian option.
Vegetables: You could use other vegetables like any color pepper, snap peas, shredded carrots, or small broccoli florets.
Soy Sauce: For a gluten-free option, use coconut aminos.

How To Make Honey Chilli Chicken

Preparing the flour mixture for dredging the chicken. — **Step 1: Prepare the chicken.** Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Combine flour and seasoning in one bowl, and pour buttermilk in a separate bowl.

Process of dredging the chicken in buttermilk and flour mixtures. — **Step 2: Coat the chicken.** Coat the chicken pieces in flour mixture, then buttermilk, then again in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.

Flour coated chicken breast pieces on a tray. — **Step 3: Heat the oil.** Set the chicken aside and heat the oil in a wok (or deep skillet).

Fried chicken pieces drain on a paper towel on a tray. — **Step 4: Cook the chicken.** Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then drain the chicken and set aside in a bowl.

Sauteed vegetables in a skillet. — **Step 5: Cook the vegetables.** Add the oil and garlic to a pan and cook for a minute, then add the vegetables and cook for 3-5 minutes until tender crisp.

Honey chili sauce in a bowl. — **Step 6: Prepare and cook the sauce.** In a bowl, mix sesame oil, honey, water, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch slurry. Add the sauce to the vegetable skillet and simmer for 2 minutes

Fried chicken is added to the sauteed veggies. — **Step 7: Toss the chicken and sauce.**Once the sauce is thickened and warm, add the chicken and toss to combine.

A skillet with sesame seed garnished chicken and vegetables. — **Step 8: Garnish and serve.** Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over rice or lo mein noodles.

Tips To Perfect This Recipe

Cut Chicken Evenly: Make sure the chicken pieces are cut into even-sized chunks to ensure they cook evenly.
Pat Chicken Dry: Before coating, pat the chicken dry to help the batter adhere better and create a crispier texture.
Cook in Batches: If using a small pan, cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can lead to steaming instead of frying.
Thicken the Sauce: If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for a few extra minutes until it reaches your desired consistency.
Fresh Ingredients Only: Use fresh minced garlic for the best flavor.

What to Serve with Chilli Honey Chicken

This Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken would go great with a fluffy side of rice or Vegetable Fried Rice. Take a cue from a restaurant with a similar dish and serve it alongside Chili Garlic Oil Noodles, Air Fryer Spring Rolls or Creamy Gochujang Pasta.

Storing and Reheating

Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To Reheat: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for the best texture. the stovetop on medium heat until warm.

Freezing: You can freeze the cooked chicken pieces without the sauce for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat with the sauce when ready to serve. Thaw both overnight in the refrigerator, then heat the chicken in the oven or air fryer to crisp it up before tossing with the sauced vegetables.

Alternative Cooking Methods

Air Fryer: Get super crispy chicken by cooking the breaded chicken pieces at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway for even cooking.

Oven: Lighten up the recipe by baking the chicken instead of frying. Place the chicken on a greased or lined sheet pan in a 400 degree F preheated oven, then cook for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

Closeup shot of a piece of crispy honey chili chicken cut in half.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dish gluten free?

Yes, you can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure that the soy sauce you use is also gluten-free.

What can I use instead of sesame oil/seeds?

The sesame provides a distinct flavor to this dish, but if you have an allergy or dislike of sesame, you can use another flavorful oil like olive or walnut oil. For garnish, chopped nuts or crispy onions would offer the texture that the sesame seeds provide.

Can I make honey chilli chicken ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the chicken and sauce separately ahead of time. When ready to serve, simply reheat and toss the chicken in the sauce.

A plate with rice, veggies and crispy honey chili chicken garnished with sesame seeds.

More Asian Chicken Recipes

With its simple preparation, versatile ingredients, and bold taste, this Crispy Honey Chilli Chicken is sure to become a staple in your kitchen. Whether you’re serving it as a main course or an appetizer, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite!

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