Ingredients
For the Chicken & Batter
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup ice-cold water
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Honey Sauce & Assembly
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10-12 whole dried red chiles
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Neutral oil, for frying
First, Make the Batter and Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, then add the ice-cold water and the 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter, about the consistency of thin pancake batter.
Add the cubed chicken to the batter and stir to ensure every piece is fully coated. Let the chicken marinate in the batter in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Next, Double-Fry the Chicken
Pour enough neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to fully submerge the chicken and preheat it to 350F.
Working in batches, carefully add the battered chicken pieces to the hot oil one by one. Fry for ~3-4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the batter is a light golden color. Remove the chicken to a wire rack to drain.
Once all the chicken has been fried once, increase the oil temperature to 375F. Fry the chicken a second time, again in batches, for another 1-2 minutes. This second fry is what makes the coating deeply golden brown and extra crispy. Return the chicken to the wire rack.
Finally, Make the Sauce and Finish the Dish
In a large wok or skillet, heat a tablespoon of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the whole dried red chiles and stir-fry for about a minute until they darken and become fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the honey, unseasoned rice vinegar, and low-sodium soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it into the simmering sauce while whisking. Continue to cook for about a minute until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
Add the double-fried chicken to the wok and toss everything together quickly until every piece is coated in the honey sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve immediately.
P.F. Chang’s-Style Crispy Honey Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Batter
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup ice-cold water
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Honey Sauce & Assembly
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 10-12 whole dried red chiles
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, for garnish
- Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
- Mix egg, ice-cold water, and oil in separate bowl. Combine with dry ingredients until smooth.
- Coat chicken cubes in batter, refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350F in deep pot.
- Fry chicken in batches 3-4 minutes until light golden. Drain on wire rack.
- Increase oil to 375F, fry chicken again 1-2 minutes until deeply golden. Drain.
- Heat oil in wok over medium heat. Stir-fry dried chiles 1 minute.
- Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- Add honey, vinegar, soy sauce. Bring to simmer.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry, cook 1 minute until thickened.
- Toss chicken in sauce until coated.
- Garnish with scallions and serve.
