Ingredients
300g Skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2cm blocks
For the Marinade
2 tablespoons Light soy sauce
½ cup Buttermilk
1 clove Garlic, minced.
1 tablespoon Honey
½ teaspoon Grated ginger
Salt and black pepper to taste
Coating for Marinated Chicken
1/2 cup Cornflour
Batter
6 tablespoons Cornflour
4 tablespoons All-purpose flour
7 - 8 tablespoons COLD Soda water
1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Oil for Frying
2 - 3 cups Vegetable oil
Honey Sauce
½ cup Honey
1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon Cornflour
2 tablespoons Water
Method
In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, buttermilk, minced garlic, honey, grated ginger, salt, and black pepper. Ensure that the honey is fully dissolved.
Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish.
Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure each piece is well-coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish and refrigerate.
Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. Turn the chicken occasionally to ensure even marination.
Coating and Batter:
Coating – Shake off the excess marinade from the chicken. Put the cornflour in a mixing bowl, add the chicken, and shake to coat the chicken. Make sure all the pieces are covered in cornflour.
Heat a large saucepan with around 4cm of oil. Heat oil over medium-high.
Whisk together flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Pour in 7 tbsp soda water, then whisk lightly; do not overmix. The batter should not be too thin but not thick, so add a little more soda water if needed.
Drop pieces of chicken into the batter. Turn to coat, then carefully place in oil.
Cook until light golden and crispy. Place on kitchen paper to drain; repeat with remaining chicken—do not crowd the pot, as it brings the oil temperature down.
Thickened Honey Sauce
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, light soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry.
Gradually whisk the cornflour slurry into the honey mixture.
Continue to cook and whisk until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. This should take a few minutes.
Heat oil to 200°C for a second fry.
Add in half the chicken, cook until golden, and place on kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Toss the fried chicken pieces into the thickened honey sauce to combine.
Serve with steamed rice or fried rice or noodles or stir-fried or vegetables or asian slaw or steamed vegetables or cucumber salad.