Honey Chilli Chicken is the perfect chicken dinner. Simple, sticky sweet, kinda spicy sauce hugging crispy and tender chicken. All ingredients from Aldi.
4(4)boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into large chunks
75g(4tablespoon)cornstarch or plain flour seasons with salt and pepper, for dusting
300ml(1 ⅕cups)vegetable oil, for frying
For the sauce
2tablespoons(2tablespoons)sweet chili sauce
4teaspoons(4teaspoons)soy sauce
150ml(¾cups)water
Juice of 2 limes
4teaspoons(4teaspoons)cornflour
4tablespoons(4tablespoons)honey
2tablespoons(2tablespoons)ginger, finely sliced
4cloves(4cloves)garlic, minced
For serving
Fresh red chili slices, de-seeded, quantity to preference
Spring onions, sliced (quantity to preference)
Chopped coriander, quantity to preference
Instructions
Preparing the Chicken:
Mix 75g of cornstarch or flour with salt and pepper.
Coat chicken chunks in the seasoned flour mix and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Sauce Mix:
In a separate bowl, whisk together lime juice, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, water, and cornflour. Set aside.
Frying the Chicken:
Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Drain excess oil from the chicken using paper towels.
Creating the Sauce:
Keep about two tablespoons of oil in the pan and discard the excess.
Sauté ginger, garlic, and chilli slices for about a minute.
Pour in the honey and stir for another minute.
Incorporate the sauce mix and continue stirring until it thickens and reaches a boil.
Mix in the fried chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated with the sauce.
Garnishing and serving:
Top with generous amounts of sliced spring onions and chopped coriander.
Ideal when paired with rice.
Notes
Oil Temperature: To test if the oil is hot enough, insert a wooden chopstick or the handle end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles form around the wood and start to float up, your oil is ready. If it's bubbling hard, the oil is too hot; if no or very few bubbles pop up, it's not hot enough.
Sauce Consistency: If the sauce becomes too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of chicken broth or water. If too thin, allow it to simmer a bit longer or add a touch more cornflour mixed with a little water.
Heat Level: Adjust the number of chilli slices to control the spiciness of the dish. Removing the seeds also reduces the heat.
Garnishing: For a burst of colour and added crunch, consider adding thinly sliced bell peppers or carrots.
Storing Leftovers: This dish can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container. For best results when reheating, use a stovetop and add a splash of water or chicken broth to bring back the sauce's consistency.