Honey Fried Chicken Bites
Honey Fried Chicken Bites are crispy, juicy chicken pieces fried to golden perfection and tossed in a sticky‑sweet honey glaze with savory and bright accents—perfect as an appetizer, snack or dinner dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (not including marinating)
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Appetizer/Main
- Method: Frying & Glazing
- Cuisine: American/Comfort
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite‑sized pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice) for marinating
- 1 cup all‑purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (for extra crispiness)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- For the honey glaze:
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Place in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavor).
- In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder (again), paprika and a little salt and pepper.
- Remove chicken from the marinade, let excess drip off, and dredge each piece in the flour‑cornstarch mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot (about 2‑3 inches deep) to ~350 °F (175 °C). Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through (about 4–6 minutes per batch). Drain on a wire rack or paper towels to keep the coating crisp.
- While chicken rests, prepare the honey glaze: In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for ~1 minute. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes (if using) and lemon juice or vinegar. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Toss the hot fried chicken bites in the warm honey glaze until well coated, or drizzle the glaze over them just before serving.
- Serve immediately while the bites are crisp, optionally with extra glaze on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can add extra heat by increasing red pepper flakes or adding a dash of chili garlic paste.
- Using thighs instead of breasts gives juicier bite pieces.
- For a gluten‑free version, use a gluten‑free flour blend and cornstarch and verify soy sauce is gluten‑free.
- If you’d rather not deep‑fry, you can air‑fry at 400 °F (200 °C) for about 12‑15 minutes, flipping halfway—though crispiness may be slightly less than deep fried. ([turn0search2](https://www.recipetineats.com/honey-chicken-stay-crispy/) & other sources show variations of sticky fried chicken with honey glaze.)
- Leftovers reheat best in the oven at 375 °F (190 °C) for about 10 minutes to keep coating crisp—microwaving tends to soften the coating.
Find it online: https://recipesbyliza.com/honey-fried-chicken-bites/
