Honey Butter Fried Chicken

Source: Adapted from Alvin Zhou — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2-KahahFTI

Yield: 4 serving(s)

Time: ~1.5 hours (plus 12–24 hr brine)

About

Korean-American style fried chicken, double-fried for maximum crunch then tossed in a buttery honey glaze. Brining overnight keeps the chicken incredibly moist. Serve immediately — the sauce will soften the crust if it sits.

Key Technique: Double frying (first at 163°C, rest, then 190°C) gives far better color and crunch than a single fry.

Ingredients

Chicken & Brine

• 908g chicken thighs
• 480ml water
• 52g sugar
• 36g salt
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 slices ginger

Batter

• 120g all-purpose flour
• 120g cornstarch
• 6g baking soda
• 240ml ice water (as needed)

Honey Butter Sauce

• 84g honey
• 56g butter
• 24g white sugar
• 30ml soy sauce

Finishing

• Frying oil
• Parsley flakes

Instructions

1. Brine the Chicken

1. Mix water, salt, sugar, rosemary, garlic, and ginger in a container.
2. Cut chicken thighs to final serving size.
3. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate 12–24 hours.

2. Double-Fry the Chicken

1. Drain chicken and pat completely dry. Remove all herbs and spices from the brine.
2. Mix flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Add ice water a bit at a time until a smooth batter forms.

- Tip: Ice water makes the batter noticeably smoother.

1. Heat oil to 163°C.
2. Fry chicken until lightly golden. Remove and rest on a rack for 5–10 minutes.
3. Raise oil to 190°C.
4. Fry chicken again until deeply golden brown. Drain on a rack.

3. Make the Sauce and Finish

1. Combine butter, honey, sugar, and soy sauce in a pan over low-medium heat.
2. Cook until it begins to bubble and thicken like candy.
3. Add chicken and toss to coat everything evenly.
4. Serve immediately.

- Tip: The sauce will make the chicken soggy if it sits — serve right away.

Tags: #recipe #korean #american #chicken #fried #appetizer