I think one of my favorite meals growing up had to be the Fried Chicken with Honey my Dad used to make. He always had it on the menu in every restaurant he owned, and for good reason!
That reason? Deliciousness. So I ran with the idea and his original recipe, added a little more spice and, today, I think this is a dish that will stay in your mind for years to come.
Ingredients
- Oil for frying
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons water
- Juice from 1 orange, plus extra juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2-4 tablespoons red bell pepper, minced
- 2 teaspoons garlic in oil, minced
- 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
Preparation
- 1 Heat oil in deep fryer according to manufacturer's instructions. Or heat 3-4 cups oil in heavy saucepan over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 375-degrees F.
- 2 In a large bowl, blend cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt.Whisk in the water until smooth.
- 3 Put all the chicken pieces in batter and gently stir until all the pieces are coated.
- 4 Carefully drop a third of the chicken pieces in hot oil and deep fry 2-3 minutes, or until browned and floating, turning at least once to evenly cook. Remove to a paper towel-lined pan and give the oil a minute rest to reheat.
- 5 Repeat with remaining chicken (in batches if needed), until all of it is cooked.
- 6 In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon orange juice with cornstarch until smooth; set aside.
- 7 In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add red bell pepper, garlic, and butter. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often.
- 8 Add honey, remaining orange juice (adding more juice to make 3/4 cup), orange zest and ginger. Bring to boiling and stir in cornstarch slurry.
- 9 Stir and cook until thickened, about 10 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add all the chicken. Stir to coat each piece and continue cooking until all the chicken is heated through.
- 10 Remove to serve immediately.
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