If you love honey chicken from your local Chinese takeaway, you’re going to love this easy homemade version. It’s crispy, sticky, sweet and ridiculously simple to make!
I had a bag of tempura chicken pops sitting in the freezer and decided to turn them into homemade honey chicken. And I’m so glad I did!
Instead of making battered chicken from scratch, this recipe uses frozen chicken pops, which makes the whole thing so much easier.
I found the honey sauce recipe on Marion Grasby’s website, and it’s brilliant. Just a handful of ingredients, a few minutes in a pan, and you’ve got a delicious sticky honey sauce.
The chicken stays crispy, the sauce is sweet and delicious, and the whole dinner is ready in around 20 minutes.
Perfect for those nights when you feel like takeaway but don’t want to spend a fortune.
Easy honey chicken recipe
Serves: 4–6 Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: Approximately 15–20 minutes (depending on chicken packet instructions)
Ingredients
- 1kg tempura chicken pops (or your favourite frozen popcorn chicken)
- 8 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing wine
- Juice of ½ lemon (approximately 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Cook the chicken pops according to the packet instructions until golden and crispy. You can use an air fryer, oven or deep fryer.
2. While the chicken is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.
3. Add the honey, sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and lemon juice. Stir everything together and allow the sauce to bubble gently.
4. Add the cooked chicken pops to the pan and toss until every piece is coated in the sticky honey sauce.
5. Cook for another 2 minutes, tossing gently, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
6. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and toss to combine.
7. Serve immediately with steamed rice, fried rice or your favourite vegetables.
Tips for making Honey Chicken Pops
Get the chicken nice and crispy: Whether you’re using the air fryer, oven or deep fryer, make sure the chicken is golden and crispy before adding it to the sauce.
Don’t add the chicken too early: The longer the chicken sits in the sauce, the softer the coating becomes. For the best results, toss everything together just before serving.
Watch the sauce: Because honey and sugar can burn easily, keep the heat at medium and stir as the sauce bubbles and thickens.
Make it a complete meal: Serve with steamed rice and some stir-fried vegetables, or make fried rice to go alongside it.
The easiest homemade fakeaway honey chicken
I love finding little shortcuts that make dinner easier, and this is definitely one of them.
Using frozen chicken pops means there’s no chopping chicken, mixing batter or making a huge mess in the kitchen. Just cook the chicken, make the sauce and toss everything together.
It’s such a simple way to turn something sitting in the freezer into a really delicious family dinner.
And if you love this recipe, make sure you try my Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken too. It’s another delicious way to use frozen chicken pops for a quick fakeaway dinner.
