Honey Chicken Recipe
- cook TIME 15 mins
- prep TIME 15 mins
- total TIME 30 mins
Ingredients (16)
- 18 oz skinless boneless chicken breast
- 2 tbsp honey
- 6 oz bok choy
- 2 1/2 cups cooked medium-grain rice from 1 1/4 cups uncooked
- 1/2 cup water divided
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp cooking mirin
- 2 tbsp Heinz ketchup
- 1 cup canola oil *
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp scallion chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted roasted sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Cook the Rice: Rinse the rice then cook according to the package instructions. It typically takes around 15-20 minutes to cook, with the water to rice ratio being 2:1.
Prepare the Chicken: Gently pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Chop the Scallions: Cut off the white roots and the 1-2 inches at the top. Bunch the stalks together in one hand and chop the bundle into small rounds.
Cook:
Slice the Chicken: Slice 18 oz skinless boneless chicken breast into medium-sized cubes.
Season the Chicken: Put the chicken cubes in a bowl then add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper then mix to evenly coat the meat in the spices.
Make the Batter: In a bowl, mix 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1/2 cup water (leave out 2 tbsp water) until the batter thickens and has a sticky consistency.
Coat the Chicken: Put the seasoned chicken in the batter and swirl around to evenly coat.
Deep-fry the Chicken: In a deep-frying pan or any with a relatively deep dish, add 1 cup canola oil and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and carefully drop the chicken in batches, and deep-fry for around 7 minutes until golden and crisp.
Once done, use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces and lightly dab away the excess oil.
Refry the Chicken: Put the chicken back into the pan then deep-fry for another 2 minutes to maintain the crispiness then remove the pieces and place them onto a plate with paper towels.
Blanch the Bok Choy: Discard the oil or use a different pan, bring some water to a boil and cook 6 oz bok choy for 3 minutes.
Mix the Sauce: Leave the pan to cool then add 2 tbsp water, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp cooking mirin, and 2 tbsp Heinz ketchup and mix them together until the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency with a glossy dark brown shade.
Caramelize the Sauce: Over medium heat, cook the sauce for 3 minutes until it bubbles and starts to caramelize.
Add the Chicken: Add the deep-fried chicken into the saucepan and lightly stir around to evenly coat the chunks.
Garnish and Serve: Lay the honey chicken and cooked bok choy over a bed of 2 1/2 cups cooked medium-grain rice, then garnish with 1 tbsp unsalted roasted sesame seeds and 2 tbsp scallion. Serve hot.
