Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

This one is a real winner.  I found for a pound of chicken I could reduce the egg wash by half, and the 8-spice dredge mix is good for another 1-2 batches – you’ll want to freeze and label it.  This recipe comes courtesy of Rock Recipes and Barry C Parsons and is heavenly.  When I threw out the extra sauce by accident someone must have been cutting onions nearby…

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Total time: Aprox 1/2 hour
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (I use a Costco tenderloin pack, little over a pound each, and I skip the flattening step because time+busy.)
• 2 cups flour
• 4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 eggs
• 8 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup Justman Honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium soy sauce is best)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• canola oil for frying

Cooking Instructions

1. Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to
   an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board
   and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.
2. Sift together the flour, salt, black pepper, ground ginger, nutmeg, thyme, sage paprika and cayenne
   pepper. NOTE: This flour and spice dredge mix is sufficient for two batches of this chicken recipe.  You
   can store the leftover mix in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for the next time you make this recipe…and there
   will be a next time.
3. Make an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and water.
4. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the
   breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat
   to get good contact.
5. Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to
   carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of
   the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I
   find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry
   them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
6. Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked breasts into the Honey Garlic
   Sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.  ( I also just have the sauce on the side and let people use as they like.

To make the Honey Garlic Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan add the 2 tbsp olive oil and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the
   garlic but do not let it brown.
2. Add the honey, soy sauce and black pepper.
3. Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this
   carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.