Crispy Chicken Breasts with a Honey Garlic Sauce

When I was a much younger woman, I was very fond of the Honey Garlic Chicken Wings and Spareribs at our local Chinese Restaurant. The flavour of the sauce was delicious and the wings and ribs just seemed to soak it up. Not so healthy for you though . . . all that fat from the chicken skin and the pork spareribs . . . it makes me shudder to think of it now.

I have come up with a delicious alternative, and whilst they are still fried, I believe them to be a somewhat healthier alternative to the original.

They have a delicious spicy coating. You double dip them into the spiced flour and beaten egg, which helps to make the coating nice and crisp, yet keeping the chicken inside moist and tender. The sauce is a perfect balance of sweet, hot, salty and garlic. We love it.

The two together are absolutely delicious. You could of course cut your breasts into fingers or use tenders instead, but this would increase the fat content considerably. We like these just the way they are.

Sticky rice and a green vegetable are wonderful partners.

*Crispy Chicken Breasts with a Honey Garlic Sauce*

Serves 4

Crispy coated moist chicken breasts served with a restaurant quality honey garlic sauce. Delicious!

4 free range boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the coating:

• 100g plain flour (1 cup)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 TBS ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground thyme ( grind 2 tsp thyme with a mortar and pestle)
• 1 tsp powdered sage
• 1 TBS sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• You will also need:
• 2 medium free range eggs, beaten
• 2 TBS water
• oil for frying
• For the sauce:
• 250ml of liquid honey (1 cup)
• 60ml of low salt soy sauce (1/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tsp gourmet garden garlic paste
• (alternately use 3 cloves of garlic, crushed)
• Take
• your chicken breasts. Rinse them in running water, dry and then pound
• each of them to an even 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic

cling film.

Whisk together all of the coating ingredients.

Place them into a shallow pie pan. Beat together the eggs and water in

another shallow pie pan. Dip the chicken breasts into the flour mixture,

patting it to help it adhere. Dip them into the egg mixture and then

into the flour mixture again, pressing so that the flour sticks well.

Set aside to dry while you coat all the chicken breasts.

Place

the liquid honey, soy sauce, pepper and garlic paste into a small

saucepan. Heat gently to a low simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes,

then keep warm.

Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium-low

heat in a large skillet until quite hot. Fry the chicken breasts two at

a time in the hot oil, frying them for about 4 minutes per side, until

golden brown and crisp, and yet still moist inside. Place on paper kitchen toweling to help to absorb any excess fat. Keep warm while you cook the other two chicken breasts. Drain them on paper toweling as well.

Up Next . . . A delightfully festive Ice Cream Cake!