Crispy Pohutukawa Honey Chicken Bites

There may be nothing less appetizing than fried food that has become soggy, which makes it immediately lose its appeal. Any fried food that is coated with honey makes avoiding this problem very difficult, but it can be done. The reward is a final product that has you craving more with every bite. This recipe will take a bit more work than we usually ask, but the extra effort is rewarded with a crispy chicken bite you are absolutely going to love.

For this recipe, we are going to use a different raw honey called Pohutukawa. The slight saltiness of the honey works perfectly with the sweetness to create a very unique flavor other chicken bite recipes are lacking.

Crispy Honey Chicken Bites Ingredients:

Honey Sauce

• 1/2c Pohutukawa honey
• 2T soy sauce
• 3T water
• 1/4t sesame oil
• 1T rice wine vinegar
• 1T cornstarch
• Pinch of red paper flakes

Chicken

• 3 large chicken breasts cut into 1.5” pieces
• 5c flour
• 1t chili powder
• 1t cumin
• 1/2t coriander
• 1/2t onion powder
• 5c buttermilk
• Coconut oil for frying (about 2” of the oil in a skillet)

To Make:

1. In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, 2T water, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and vinegar.
2. Whisk ingredients together over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
3. While sauce is cooking (before it comes to a boil), combine corn starch and 1T water and whisk until well-combined.
4. When sauce some to a boil, add cornstarch mixture and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil again.
5. Lower heat to simmer and allow to cook for an additional ten minutes (if sauce reduces too much, add water at 1T per time to – keep in mind, though, this should be a thicker sauce).
6. Add coconut oil to a deep skillet and turn heat to medium-high.
7. While oil is heating, mix flour and spices (chicken recipe). Stir with a fork to ensure all ingredients are well-combined.
8. In a different bowl, pour in buttermilk.
9. Take about a dozen of the chicken pieces and toss them in flour mix, then in buttermilk, then back into the flour mixture.
10. Repeat until all chicken pieces have been processed in this manner.
11. At about a dozen pieces at a time, place chicken into hot oil and cook for five to seven minutes.
12. As chicken is cooking, be sure to turn the pieces over about halfway through the cooking time.
13. When chicken is done, remove from oil and place on paper towel and cover with an additional paper towel to ensure all excess oil is drained.
14. When all pieces are cooked, add to a large mixing bowl and pour honey mixture over chicken.
15. Toss chicken pieces until all are thoroughly coated, then serve on their own or over rice.

If you need to order honey to make this recipe, please click here. And, remember, we offer FREE shipping on all orders of $150 or more.

*for an Asian flare, you can toast sesame seeds and add them to honey mixture

Recipe Source: Together as Family, Photo By Edalin