Crispy Korean Honey Butter Chicken Tenders Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, ensure all ingredients are measured and ready, as the frying process moves quickly. Set up a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch any drips from the chicken.

Prepare the marinade in a large bowl, and have your potato starch in a wide, shallow dish for easy dredging. Ensure your oil is deep enough in the wok or pot to fully submerge the tenders for even cooking.

Instructions

Marinating and Coating

1. 1Marinate and Coat
   Place the chicken tenders in a bowl with the milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and toss thoroughly in potato starch until every piece is evenly and thinly coated.
   Look for The chicken should be completely dry and white, covered in a thin, uniform layer of starch.
   Tip Ensure the chicken is patted dry if it feels too wet before dredging to prevent clumping.

The chicken should be thoroughly coated in the potato starch. The coating should look dry and powdery, with no wet spots visible. If the starch becomes clumpy from the moisture of the chicken, add a little more dry starch to ensure every piece is completely covered and dry before it enters the hot oil.

Double Frying

2. 2Double Fry
   Heat oil to 340°F (170°C). Fry the chicken for 4 minutes until cooked through. Remove and let rest on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken again for 2 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and becomes shatteringly crisp.
   Look for The crust will turn a beautiful pale golden color and feel very firm and crunchy to the touch.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Do not overcrowd the fryer, as this drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy chicken.

After the first fry, the chicken should look cooked but pale. After the second fry, the chicken will be a beautiful pale golden color. The surface will look very craggy and feel very firm to the touch. It should sound like a hard shell when tapped. Ensure the oil has returned to the correct temperature between batches.

Glazing

3. 3Glaze and Serve
   In a wide wok, melt the butter with the honey, brown sugar, and soy sauce over medium heat. Once the mixture starts foaming and bubbling into a glossy glaze, add the hot crispy chicken. Toss vigorously until every contour is glistening. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.
   Look for The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and bubble vigorously before adding the chicken.
   Tip Work quickly once the chicken enters the glaze to maintain the crunch of the crust.

The glaze should be bubbling actively and appear thick and glossy. As you toss the chicken, the sauce should coat every craggy contour of the crust.

The sesame seeds should adhere to the sticky surface. The entire mixture should smell buttery and sweet, and the chicken should remain hot and crispy throughout the process.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is overcrowding the wok, which lowers the oil temperature too quickly and results in oily, soggy chicken. Another error is not allowing the chicken to rest between the two frying phases, which is crucial for achieving the desired crispness.

Finally, be careful not to overcook the glaze; it should be bubbly and glossy, but if it gets too dark, it may turn bitter.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The crust will be a pale golden color and feel extremely hard and crunchy when tapped with tongs.

The meat should be steaming and opaque white throughout, with no signs of pinkness. The glaze will be glossy and coat the chicken evenly without pooling at the bottom of the wok.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part