Crispy Honey Butter Chicken (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken Marinade

01 - 1 pound chicken tenders (roughly 8-10 pieces)
02 - 1 teaspoon coarse salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ teaspoon white pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon powdered garlic
06 - ½ teaspoon powdered onion
07 - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
08 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne for some heat

→ Seasoned Flour

09 - 2 cups regular flour
10 - 1 tablespoon coarse salt
11 - 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
12 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon powdered onion
14 - 1 tablespoon white pepper

→ Wet Batter

15 - ½ cup plain flour
16 - 1 big egg
17 - 1 cup of very chilled sparkling water

→ Honey Butter Sauce

18 - 4 tablespoons of butter (unsalted works best)
19 - 2 tablespoons of honey
20 - 2 tablespoons sugar
21 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce

→ Additional Items

22 - 1 cup of plain flour for dusting the chicken
23 - Cooking oil for frying (any neutral variety like canola, peanut, or vegetable)

# Instructions:

01 - Toss the chicken tenders thoroughly in a bowl with coarse salt, black and white pepper, garlic and onion powders, powdered ginger, and a touch of cayenne. Cover it and pop it in the fridge for at least half an hour or overnight if you want a stronger flavor.
02 - Set up three bowls: one with the plain flour, another holding the wet batter of flour, egg, and sparkling water, and a final one containing the seasoned flour with salt, spices, and powders mixed in.
03 - Pour a splash (1 tablespoon) of sparkling water into the bowl of seasoned flour and gently mix with your fingers to form little lumps. These will fry up really crisp.
04 - Start by lightly tossing each tender in the plain flour. Next, dunk it in the wet batter, and last, press it firmly into the clumpy seasoned flour. Repeat for every tender and set them aside.
05 - Once coated, let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes. This resting step ensures the breading sticks better when fried.
06 - In a pot, heat about 2 inches of neutral oil until it hits 350°F. Fry a few tenders at a time for 4-5 minutes until they get a pale golden hue. Let them drain on a rack with a baking sheet underneath.
07 - Refry the chicken at 350°F for another 1-2 minutes to make it deep golden and extra crunchy. Sprinkle on some salt while they’re still warm.
08 - Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small pan. Stir in the honey, granulated sugar, and soy sauce until the sugar fully dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly.
09 - Brush the honey butter sauce all over the chicken or toss them gently until coated. Serve hot and dig in!

# Notes:

01 - Frying twice gives the chicken that amazing crunch you want.
02 - Sparkling water straight from the fridge makes the batter lighter.
03 - Crank up the spice by adding more cayenne or a dollop of gochujang to the sauce.

Back