CRISPY Honey Chicken

Step 1

RECOMMENDED: Place batter mixing bowl in the fridge with the flour, baking powder and salt. (Helps keep batter cold = crispier chicken)

MARINATE and DUST CHICKEN

Step 2

Marinade: Mix Chicken and Marinade in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3

Dust: Spread the 1/2 cup cornstarch/cornflour in a shallow plate. Scatter over about 8 to 10 chicken pieces, toss to coat, shake off excess, put on a plate. Repeat with all chicken. (I'd personally place the cornstarch in a ziplock bag and toss the chicken that way).

Step 4

*COLD BATTER AND FRY* (See Fry Method #1 and Fry Method #2)

Step 5

Rack: Place a rack on a tray.

Step 6

Heat Oil: Fill small pot or large saucepan with 1.7" (4 cm) oil. Heat to 350°F (180°C) on medium high stove (or until chicken starts sizzle straight away when dipped).

Step 7

Make Cold Batter: Whisk together flour, cornstarch (cornflour), baking powder and salt. Pour in 7 tablespoons soda water, then do minimum whisks just to combine (10 or so) - a few lumps are OK, better than whisking too much (changes the coating texture).

Step 8

Batter Thickness: should fully coat chicken easily, not intended to see through, but not thick and heavy. Use extra water 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve right thickness.

Step 9

Dredge: Drop 8 or so pieces of chicken into the batter. Turn to coat, then carefully place in oil.

FRY METHOD # 1

Step 10

Cook for 3 minutes until light golden and crispy - when you pick them up, you can tell it's very crispy.

FRY METHOD # 2 - for Ultra Crispy!

Step 11

Heat oil to 390°F (200°C).

Step 12

Add in half the chicken (you can crowd the pot a bit more for Fry #2). Cook for 90 seconds until it changes from pale golden to very golden (but not dark golden, chicken will overcook, need to keep a close eye on it), then remove onto rack. More golden = crispier chicken.

Step 13

Repeat with remaining chicken. (Feel the chicken - you can tell it's built-to-last crispy!)

Step 14

Drain and repeat: Place on rack, repeat with remaining chicken - normally it takes 4 batches to cook, don't crowd the pot, brings oil temperature down too much.

Step 15

Cool chicken for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make Sauce.

HONEY SAUCE

Step 16

Place ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer, then leave to simmer for 3 minutes.

Step 17

Consistency should be like maple syrup. Turn off stove, place lid on to keep warm (when cool, gets too thick to toss chicken).

TOSS in SAUCE and SERVE

Step 18

Tumble into saucepan with sauce, use rubber spatula to quick toss until coated with sauce. (Sauce starts thickening if you take too long, so be quick!)

Step 19

Pile chicken up over crispy noodles (if using), scatter with sesame seeds and green onion and serve!

Step 20

*PUFFY CRISPY NOODLES (Optional):

Step 21

At any point while oil is hot, drop wad of noodles into hot oil, wait 3 seconds until it puffs up, then remove with tongs.

Step 22

Drain on paper towels, place on plate to top with chicken!

NOTE 1: Cold soda water, club soda, or seltzer water - it must be fridge cold to ensure crispy coating. Needs to be man-made fizziness to help with the puffiness. Do not use sparkling mineral water (ie naturally fizzy) - it's not as strong. It works but will not produce a crispy product.

NOTE 2: Glucose or corn syrup (light) - key to making the honey sauce "toffee-like" so it coats and semi-sets ON the crispy crust rather than soaking INTO it and making it soggy. Both work just as well.

NOTE 3: Cool chicken = crispier crust once double fried. Don't know exact science, presume it's like cold batter = crispier chicken! Still very crisper if double fried straight away, but stronger crust if cooled.