Crispy Honey Chicken (Chinese Take Away Recipe)

If you are looking for a quick, but extremely flavoursome dinner recipe, look no further! Our easy Crispy Honey Chicken recipe comes together in under 20 minutes and is a real crowd-pleaser! Served on a bed of fluffy rice, this sticky, sweet and spicy fried chicken is a great substitute for a pricey takeaway, and you will make it quicker than your takeaway would have arrived! Equally delicious made with tofu if you are looking for a vegetarian option.

Jump to:

• Recipe Highlights
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Tips for Extra-Crispy Honey Chicken
• Step-By-Step Method
• Watch How To Make It
• Crispy Honey Chicken Variations
• What To Serve With Crispy Honey Chicken?
• Other Chinese Fakeaway Favourites
• Chinese Crispy Honey Chicken
• Recipe FAQ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!

This crispy honey chicken is the dish that's replaced our Friday night takeaway more than any other recipe on this site. Strips of chicken breast get a proper cornflour crust, a quick shallow fry in a frying pan (no deep fryer, no mess), then a toss through a sticky honey, soy and orange glaze that's sweet without tipping into cloying.

It's ready in 20 minutes, feeds two generously, and needs nothing more than a frying pan, a saucepan and a hob - perfect for busy weeknights when the oven staying off is half the appeal. If you've ever ordered honey chicken from your local Chinese takeaway and wondered how hard it'd be to make at home, this is your answer: not hard at all.

I'll tell you what I love for dinner most of all: a good Chinese takeaway, be it classic Salt & Pepper Chicken, Crispy Chilli Beef, or our new favourite Tofu Kung Pao. There's one thing common to all of them: a proper crispy coating. Try replicating your own favourite Chinese takeaway recipes at home - so much healthier, and just as delicious.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Here's what you'll need to make Honey Orange Chicken. Find the full ingredient quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

• Chicken breast: boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well if you prefer darker meat, or thinly sliced sirloin steak for a different take entirely.
• Cornflour: does the heavy lifting here, both for the crispy coating on the chicken and for thickening the sauce. There's no wet batter and no all-purpose flour needed, which keeps things simple and (as a bonus) gluten-free, as long as your soy sauce is swapped for tamari.
• Honey: clear, runny honey works best for a smooth glaze.
• Soy sauce: light or dark both work in this crispy honey chicken recipe. Tamari if you need it gluten-free.
• Garlic cloves: finely chopped, not crushed, for little bursts of flavour rather than a background hum.
• Orange: only the juice is used, and freshly squeezed is worth the two minutes it takes. The orange isn't there to make this "orange chicken" - it's there to cut the sweetness of the honey, so the sauce reads as sweet-and-sour rather than just sweet.
• Red chilli flakes: swap for fresh red chilli if you prefer, or leave out entirely for a milder dish the kids will eat without complaint.
• Sesame seeds and spring onion: for the garnish, and honestly for the bit of crunch and freshness the finished dish needs.
• Long-grain rice: to serve. Brown rice works too, though it's more filling, so scale back the quantity slightly.

If you want to push the flavour further, a tablespoon each of sesame oil and rice vinegar in the sauce adds real depth. For a hot honey version, stir in a teaspoon of sriracha or a generous pinch of chilli flakes (or use our Homemade Hot Honey instead of plain).

Step-By-Step Method

Prep the chicken and rice. Cut the chicken breast into strips around 1cm thick. Mix the cornflour for coating with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, add the chicken, and toss until every piece is properly covered - don't be stingy here, an even, generous coating is what gives you the crust.

Get your rice on to cook following the packet instructions so it's ready at the same time as the chicken.

Fry the chicken in batches. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until it's properly hot (a pinch of cornflour dropped in should sizzle immediately). Tap any excess flour off the chicken pieces before they go in. Then fry in batches rather than all at once - overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and you'll get steamed chicken instead of crispy chicken.

Fry for around 10 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain, ready for the next batch.

Make the honey sauce while the last batch fries. Place the honey, soy sauce, chopped garlic, chilli flakes and fresh orange juice in a saucepan over low heat and stir to combine. Mix the remaining tablespoon of cornflour with two tablespoons of water, stir this slurry into the sauce, then turn the heat up slightly and let it bubble for a minute or two until it thickens into a proper glaze, not a puddle.

Toss and serve immediately. Add the crispy chicken to the sauce and toss just long enough to coat every piece, no more than a couple of minutes, or the sauce will start softening that crust you worked for.

Serve straight away on a bed of rice, scattered with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.

---

Watch How To Make It

Crispy Honey Chicken Variations

• Vegetarian: swap the chicken for firm tofu, pressed and cut into strips. Coat and fry exactly the same way.
• Extra veg: stir-fried red pepper and carrots alongside the chicken add colour, crunch and nutrition without much extra effort.
• Spicier: a teaspoon of chilli powder mixed into the cornflour coating adds heat right through the crust, not just in the sauce.
• Different protein: boneless chicken thighs give you a slightly richer, juicier result than breast if that's your preference.

What To Serve With Crispy Honey Chicken?

Steamed white rice or noodles are the classic pairing, and Salt & Pepper Chips are a genuinely popular option alongside a Chinese takeaway-style dinner in the UK. For something greener, try Chinese Stir-Fried Pea Shoots, Griddled Pak Choi, or an Asian Broccoli Salad. A Korean-Style Cucumber Salad is also a great match, its spice and acidity cutting through the honey glaze nicely.

Other Chinese Fakeaway Favourites

More Chinese takeaway favourites worth trying next: if you love citrus and crispy chicken, our Chinese-Style Lemon Chicken and Crispy Lime Chicken are both built on the same technique. For something different but just as quick, Slow Cooker Mongolian Pork and Crispy Teriyaki Chicken With Rice are regulars in our house too.

Recipe FAQ