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Honey Pepper Chicken

Honey pepper chicken with crispy golden strips glazed in a glossy honey and black pepper sauce. Coarse cracked pepper stays visible throughout the amber coating for that sweet-savory, sticky finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Cut into strips.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 1 vegetable oil For frying.
Honey pepper sauce
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 tsp coarse cracked black pepper
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Serving
  • 1 steamed rice
  • 1 green onions For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken strips with flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated, with no dry powder left on the surface.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 375°F for frying.
Fry until crisp
  1. Fry the coated chicken in 1 inch of oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, flipping once when the first side is crisp and browned.
  2. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels until the coating looks dry-crisp at the edges.
Make the honey pepper sauce
  1. Combine honey, soy sauce, butter, apple cider vinegar, coarse cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring until the sauce is slightly thickened and the pepper flavors bloom, turning glossy and amber.
Glaze and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the honey pepper sauce until every piece is fully glazed and sticky-looking, with coarse pepper clearly visible.
  2. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onions.

Notes

For the crispiest honey pepper chicken, make sure the oil stays at 375°F and don’t crowd the pan—cook in batches if needed. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat on a hot skillet or in the oven to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the coating softens. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce added salt only if needed.