This Asian fried chicken with hot honey sauce recipe is everything you could ever want in a fried chicken.
It’s got crispy skin, juicy meat, and an addictively delicious sauce. You will definitely be licking your fingers while eating these.
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Asian Fried Chicken Introduction
There aren’t many things in the world that can make me instantly happy, but a good plate of fried chicken does it–especially when it’s drizzled with some sweet and spicy sauce.
The thing is, I’m not really a fan of the typical American-style fried chicken. I much prefer the Asian version, Korean Fried Chicken or Thai Fried Chicken - you name it!, which usually pairs with a homemade sauce that is almost always out-of-this-world delicious. No matter how you eat this, alone or paired with fried rice and ice cold beer, you're guaranteed to have the most delicious meal of your life!
This amazing Asian recipe takes inspiration from Japanese karaage and Korean fried chicken, which is double-fried for extra crispiness. And the hot honey chicken sauce? It’s a must! The combination of sweetness, spice, and acidity is just perfection.
My favorite ramen spot in Victoria, Ghost Ramen, told me they marinade the chicken in sake (rice wine). As for the batter, I have researched and tried a few batches and learned that I love using tapioca starch for my fried chicken. It is light and always comes out crunchy. It's not as heavy as all-purpose flour. Since tapioca starch is made from cassava root, potato starch almost works the same as root vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Skin-on boneless chicken thighs - You can use chicken breast, but I find that thighs are much juicier and have more flavor. Plus, the skin adds an extra layer of crispiness. Chicken wings might be a better alternative if you don't have thighs.
Sake - Japanese rice wine. It's very affordable, and you can find it in any liquor store. If you can't find any, you can substitute with dry white wine.
Soy sauce - I like using low-sodium soy sauce so the dish isn't too salty. You can use tamari in place of soy sauce if you want the chicken to be gluten-free.
Sesame oil - Gives the chicken a nice nutty flavor. It's an essential ingredient in many Asian dishes, so don't skip it!
Garlic and ginger - Always fresh. These two aromatics are used in pretty much every Asian dish, so they're going to be in this recipe as well!
Honey - Since we're making a hot honey sauce, don't use anything other than honey.
Red chili pepper flakes - This is what's going to give the sauce its heat. If you like a good spicy kick, you can always add more. Add less if you can't handle the heat.
Baking powder - This is the secret ingredient that will make your chicken extra crispy!
Vegetable oil for frying - You need a high smoke oil. Canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, or any neutral oil should work. However, you have to be careful when using peanut oil since some people are allergic to peanuts. To avoid possible allergic reactions, opt for canola oil and sunflower oil instead.
Green onions - Optional for garnish, added color, and a fresh taste
Toasted sesame seeds - Optional for garnish
Salt and black pepper - To season the chicken
Tapioca starch - 10/10 recommend this for the batter to get that extra crunch in the chicken. For substitutions, see the next section.
Variations
Soy-Garlic Glaze: Instead of the hot honey sauce, make soy garlic sauce instead. All you'll need are soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, and a splash of rice vinegar. Cook the chicken until crispy, then toss it in the soy garlic sauce for a sweet and savory coating.
Sesame Fried Chicken: Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the fried chicken to add a nutty flavor. If you don't have toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil would do.
Vietnamese Style Asian Fried Chicken: Add a Vietnamese twist to your chicken wings, thighs, or breast by using Vietnamese rice wine or omitting sake, adding lemongrass for flavor, and incorporating fish sauce into the marinade. Fish sauce is a key ingredient in Vietnamese fried chicken.
Different types of flours for the crispiest fried chicken:
All-purpose flour - Most common type of flour since it's cheap and highly accessible. It's mostly used in American fried chicken recipes. While it can give you a good enough crunch, it can also make the skin heavy.
Corn starch - Corn starch is commonly used in Asian style fried chicken recipes since it creates a light and crispy coating for the chicken.
Potato starch - Produces a similar result to tapioca flour, but not as light and crispy. It's a good alternative if you can't find tapioca flour.
Rice flour - Rice flour is usually used in Japanese karaage recipes. It gives a really light and crispy skin, but can be quite hard to find.
Tapioca flour - My personal favorite! Use this if you want that extra crunch. Highly recommended.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl with lid
Knife
Cutting board
Baking sheet
Wire rack or cooling rack
Paper towels
Small saucepan
Large skillet or wok for deep frying - Here's my go to pan
How To Make Asian Fried Chicken
#1: Put your boneless chicken in a large bowl. Add the rest of your marinade ingredients.
#2: Let it marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. For best results, let your chicken marinade overnight.
#3: Make your Asian fried chicken batter. Mix the batter well until fully incorporated and there are no lumps.
#4: Submerge the marinated chicken in the batter.
#5: In a large skillet or wok, medium-high heat, and pour in the oil.
#6: Drop your marinated chicken pieces in the hot oil. Deep fry them up in small batches.
#7: First fry. In a baking tray with a wire rack, place your chicken to rest while you finish frying the first batch.
#8: Second fry. For extra crispy coating, double fry. You want a golden brown color.
#9: In the meantime, in a small saucepan, make your hot honey sauce.
#10: Enjoy with a cold beer!
Serve this Asian Fried Chicken with
Great for get-togethers, this hot honey chicken is delicious on its own as a finger food, but here are some ideas on what to serve it with:
Always serve with a cold beer!
White rice
Noodles
Salad
Fried rice
Regular fries
How to store and reheat
Store your leftovers in an airtight container.
Reheat your leftover fried chicken in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Asian Fried Chicken - FAQs
Asian fried breading is usually made of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. This combination creates a light and crispy coating perfect for fried chicken. Depending on the recipe, it can be seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and other spices for extra flavor.
For the best fried chicken, you want to use flour with high amylose content to create a light and crispy coating. I like to use tapioca flour or potato starch for my Asian fried chicken because they both create a crispy outer layer. Rice flour is also a perfect option if you can find one.
Adding baking soda to your batter will make it crispy. Both baking soda and baking powder (baking soda with acid) are leavening agents, which means they help the batter rise and become light and fluffy. When fried, it results in a crispy coating.
Thai fried chicken often incorporates flavors unique to Thai cuisine, such as fish sauce or oyster sauce, to enhance its taste profile. The recipe is inspired by Japanese karaage and Korean fried chicken. Instead, it focuses on a marinade made with sake, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, with a hot honey sauce for serving. This distinction highlights the difference in flavor profiles between the two dishes, with Thai fried chicken leaning more towards the savory and umami notes from fish sauce or oyster sauce.
Yes, you can substitute thighs and make fried chicken wings instead. Before you fry chicken wings, consider these key differences:
Cooking Time: Fried chicken wings generally cook faster than boneless thighs, so adjust frying times accordingly.
Size for Frying: Chicken wings may require less time per fry. Fried chicken wings should be monitored closely to avoid overcooking.
Marinade Absorption: Due to their size and structure, fried chicken wings might absorb the marinade more quickly, potentially enhancing flavor.
Texture and Flavor: Fried chicken wings have a different texture and flavor compared to thighs. While thighs are typically juicier and more tender, fried chicken wings are slightly chewier and have a higher skin-to-meat ratio. Keep this in mind when substituting these two pieces for the other in recipes, especially those where the texture and flavor of the dark meat are essential.
Korean fried chicken achieves its renowned crispiness through a double-frying technique, coating the chicken in corn starch or potato starch batter, maintaining hot oil temperature, and draining excess oil after frying.
Yes, marinating chicken before frying can enhance its flavor and tenderness by allowing the meat to absorb the flavors of the marinade, though it's not always necessary for achieving crispy fried chicken, particularly in recipes like Korean fried chicken where the emphasis is on the crispiness of the coating.
The best parts of the chicken for frying are typically the bone-in, skin-on pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks, and chicken wings, as they tend to remain juicy and flavorful during the frying process and develop a crispy exterior.
Try out some of my other recipes!
Air Fryer Zucchini Parmesan
Orange Glazed Asian Turkey Meatballs
Spam Fried Rice
Asian Fried Chicken with Hot Honey Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Put your boneless chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add the rest of your marinade ingredients.
- Let it marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. For best results, let your chicken marinade overnight.
- Make your Asian fried chicken batter. Mix the batter well until fully incorporated and there are no lumps.
- Submerge your chicken in the batter.
- In a large skillet or wok, medium-high heat, and pour in the oil.
- Drop your chicken pieces in the hot oil. Deep fry them up in small batches.
- First fry. In a baking tray with a wire rack, place your chicken to rest while you finish frying the first batch.
- Second fry. For extra crispy coating, double fry. You want a golden brown color.
- In the meantime, in a small saucepan, make your hot honey sauce.
- Enjoy with a cold beer!
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!I hope you enjoy making this delicious Asian Fried Chicken recipe!
Thelma says
First time to try this hot honey sauce! tomorrow ill make this.