Crispy Honey Chicken

There is truly nothing better than ordering a full Chinese banquet on a weeknight when you can't be bothered to cook. Our family would always order spring rolls and prawn toast, Seafood Combination (for Dad), Szechuan Beef (for Mum), and the humble, yet very much loved Honey Chicken for myself. There is something so fun and innocent about crunchy chicken dunked in sticky honey, and while I try to explore different menu options, I always come back to this classic.

I have avoided making Honey Chicken for years due to fear of messing it up. Tonight I tackled the takeout favourite and I cannot believe I have deprived myself of this amazing dish for so long. The chicken is perfectly glazed with sweet honey, coated in a thin, crispy batter, and is incredibly moist on the inside. I threw in some red capsicum and broccolini to add some colour to the dish, but you could add whatever veggies your family prefers, or omit them all together. I also served this with brown rice because I love the chewy texture, but this would taste great with some fluffy Jasmine rice too.

My best tip for this recipe: be prepared. There are quite a few bowls used here and you don't want to be stopping mid-cook to clean a bowl for the next thing. Across my kitchen bench I had the bowl with the chicken in batter, the fry pan, then a bowl lined in paper towel. This allows you to easily move the chicken along the assembly line without creating too much mess.

Ingredients:

• 6 Chicken Thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 Bunch Broccolini, cut into lengths

• 1 Red Capsicum, sliced

• 2 Tbs Sesame Seeds

• 2 Cups Rice Bran Oil, for frying

For the Batter:

• 1/2 Cup Cornflour

• 1 Cup Plain Flour

• 1 Tsp Baking Powder

• 1/2 - 1 Cup Cold Water

For the Honey Glaze:

• 1/2 Cup Honey

• 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 Tbs Corn Flour

• 2 Tbs Water

• Pinch of Salt

• Brown Rice, to serve

Let's Make this Honey Chicken:

1. In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the honey glaze and set aside.

2. In another bowl, combine all the ingredients for the batter and whisk thoroughly until there are no more lumps. Add the chicken to the batter and stir to coat.

3. In a fry pan, heat 1 Tbs of oil and sauté broccolini and capsicum for about 5 minutes or until stalks of the broccolini are slightly soft. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4. Add the remaining oil to the fry pan and keep on a medium - low heat.

5. Add the chicken, in small batches to the oil, and fry for around 5 minutes each side, or until golden. Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined bowl, and continue with the next batch.

6. Once all chicken is cooked, clean the fry pan and return to medium - low heat. Add the honey glaze mixture and bring to a simmer.

7. Add in the chicken and vegetables, and mix around the pan, ensuring all pieces are evenly coated with glaze. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and continue tossing.

8. Serve on a bed of rice.