Chinese Style Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup
A quick and comforting Chinese-style soup combining tender chicken and sweet corn in a savoury broth, thickened with ribbons of egg. Ready in just 20 minutes.
Tender chicken pieces coated in crispy cornflour and tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy glaze. This quick stir-fry balances honey sweetness with chilli heat.
This crispy honey chilli garlic chicken is the sort of dish that hits all the right notes—sweet, spicy, and utterly satisfying. The secret is coating the chicken in cornflour before frying, which creates that lovely crispy texture that holds onto the sticky glaze beautifully. You don't need a takeaway when you can whip this up at home in about 30 minutes.
The balance of flavours here is what makes it work. The honey brings sweetness, the soy sauce adds depth and saltiness, while the fresh chilli and garlic provide just enough heat to keep things interesting. Rice vinegar adds a subtle tang that prevents the dish from being too cloying. It's one of those recipes where each ingredient plays its part perfectly.
Getting the chicken properly crispy is key to this dish. Make sure each piece is well-coated in cornflour and don't overcrowd the pan when frying—you want them to sizzle rather than steam. Once they're golden and crisp, the vegetables go in quickly, followed by the sauce ingredients.
The cornflour coating not only creates the crispy texture but also helps the sweet and spicy glaze cling to every piece of chicken.
This recipe serves four people and it's brilliant for a quick weeknight dinner when you want something with a bit more flavour than your usual chicken dish. Serve it over steamed rice or noodles to soak up that gorgeous sticky sauce. If you like things a bit spicier, don't be shy about adding extra chilli—it can handle the heat.
Season the diced chicken with salt and pepper, then toss with the cornflour until each piece is well coated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy on all sides.
Add the sliced red pepper and red onion to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the minced garlic and chopped chilli and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Pour this sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until the chicken and vegetables are well coated with the sticky glaze. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The chicken will lose some of its crispiness but still tastes delicious reheated gently in a pan.
Serve over steamed jasmine rice or egg noodles to soak up the sticky sauce. Add some steamed broccoli or pak choi for extra vegetables and colour.
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