This Crispy Honey Chicken Recipe is everything you crave in comfort food: juicy, tender chicken pieces fried to golden perfection, tossed in a sticky, sweet-savory honey sauce with just a hint of warmth. It’s the perfect homemade alternative to takeout, without sacrificing flavor or crunch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crispy and juicy: Each bite is golden on the outside and tender inside.

• Sweet and tangy honey glaze: The sauce clings to the chicken and delivers a bold flavor hit.

• Better than takeout: More flavorful, less greasy, and easy to customize.

• Crowd-pleaser: Kids, teens, and adults all go back for seconds.

Crispy Honey Chicken

There’s a reason this Crispy Honey Chicken Recipe makes it onto weekly dinner rotations—it’s outrageously good. The combination of crunch and sweetness is simply addictive, and every step of the process, from dredging the chicken to simmering the sauce, feels satisfying without being complicated.

We start with tender chunks of chicken breast, coated in a flavorful spice-flour mixture, dipped in buttermilk, and dredged again for maximum crispiness. Once fried, they’re golden brown and perfectly textured—crunchy on the outside, juicy in the middle. It’s the kind of crisp that doesn’t go soggy the minute it hits the sauce.

Speaking of sauce: it’s a bold glaze made from real honey, tangy vinegar, a splash of soy sauce, and just a hint of sesame oil for depth. No mystery ingredients, no preservatives—just a glossy, sticky glaze that coats the chicken in sweet-savory goodness. You can customize the heat with red pepper flakes or keep it kid-friendly.

What really elevates this dish is the layering of flavor from spices like cumin and coriander in the breading. It’s subtle, but it gives the chicken an aromatic base that makes every bite memorable.

This meal is quick enough for a weeknight (if you start with pre-cut chicken) and exciting enough to serve at a casual dinner party. It’s also a great make-ahead option: fry the chicken, cool it, and re-crisp in the oven before tossing it in sauce right before serving.

Serve it over steamed rice with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or even a quick stir-fried veggie side for a balanced meal. You could also try it in lettuce wraps for a fresh twist.

Whether you’re cooking for a hungry family or just craving crispy, sweet-savory comfort food, this recipe delivers big-time flavor with every bite.

Servings

Serves: 4–5

Time

• Prep Time: 20 minutes

• Cook Time: 25 minutes

• Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Honey Sauce:

• ½ cup honey

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)

• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon cold water (for slurry)

For the Chicken:

• 3 large chicken breasts (about 1½ lbs), cut into 1½” chunks

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• 1½ cups buttermilk

• Canola or vegetable oil, for frying (about 2–3″ depth in skillet)

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, 2 tbsp water, vinegar, sesame oil, and optional red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water to make a slurry. Slowly whisk this into the simmering sauce. Cook 2–3 minutes until thickened. Reduce to low to keep warm.

3. Prepare the chicken coating: In a shallow bowl, mix flour, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and onion powder. In a second bowl, pour the buttermilk.

4. Coat the chicken: Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge chicken in flour, dip into buttermilk, then back into the flour. Press to adhere coating well.

5. Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high. Once shimmering, carefully fry chicken in batches, 5–7 minutes per batch, turning as needed until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F. Drain on paper towels.

6. Toss and serve: Place fried chicken into a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm honey sauce over the chicken and gently stir to coat.

7. Serve hot: Best with steamed rice and a sprinkle of green onions.

Tips

• Don’t overcrowd the pan while frying—work in batches to keep the oil temperature stable.

• You can prep the sauce and flour mix in advance to save time.

• The sauce thickens more as it cools—add a splash of water if needed before serving.

• For extra crunch, double-dip the chicken in buttermilk and flour.

• Add steamed broccoli or snap peas for a takeout-style meal with veggies.