Asian Style Chicken With Sticky Sauce

Ingredients

• 400 g chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 10 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 5 tbsp sesame oil for frying
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• salt
• black pepper

Method

The batter-coating here does two things at once: it protects the chicken from drying out during frying, and it creates the textured surface that traps the sticky glaze. The three-layer system — cornflour, egg wash, seasoned flour — works because cornflour gelatinises in the heat and binds the egg to the flour layer, forming a crisp shell. Cornflour alone would shatter; flour alone won't adhere properly without the egg binder.

Cut the chicken breast into 2–3 cm chunks. This size cooks through in the time it takes the crust to turn golden, preventing the dry exterior–raw interior problem that plagues larger pieces. For the coating, combine 10 tbsp all-purpose flour with 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp paprika powder, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper in one shallow dish. Put 3 tbsp cornflour in another. Beat the egg lightly in a third. Work in batches: coat each piece in cornflour (shake off excess), dip in egg, then roll in the seasoned flour. Don't skip the egg — it's the adhesive.

Heat 5 tbsp sesame oil in a large frying pan to 180°C. Test the temperature by dropping in a breadcrumb; it should brown in about 15 seconds. Working in batches to avoid crowding (this drops the oil temperature and creates steam instead of a crust), pan-frying the chicken for 5–6 minutes until the exterior is deep golden and the thickest piece reads 74°C at the centre. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

Meanwhile, make the finishing-sauce: mash 2 garlic cloves to a paste and whisk it with 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp brown sugar and 4 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl. The ketchup and soy bring depth, but the vinegar cuts the richness — essential here because you're building a glaze, not a watery sauce. Once all chicken is fried, add the sauce to the empty pan over medium heat. Let it bubble for 90 seconds to thicken slightly (the sugars will caramelise just enough), then add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. The sauce should cling to the pieces in a glossy layer, not pool at the bottom. Serve immediately with white rice to catch any glaze that runs.