HONEY BUTTER CHICKEN & RICE CAKES

Step aside, honey butter chips

Honey butter dak ganjeong (Korean popcorn chicken) is a popular street food, but we’re adding some crispy rice cakes to the mix! I grew up eating pan-fried rice cakes drizzled with honey as as a sweet and crispy after school snack. It’s a snack I always forget about, but still one of my favorites! So I thought, why not combine the two and make it is the best of both worlds?

The crunchy, savory fried chicken, paired with the crispy rice cakes, all tossed in a sticky, sweet honey butter sauce is such an addictive flavor explosion, no wonder those honey butter chips are so popular!

korean fried chicken

Some tips from the kitchen

  • Personally, I’m a dark meat over white meat kinda gal. I’m using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but chicken breast or tenders would work too!

 

  • Potato starch can be hard to find or not available at your local grocery store. Use cornstarch instead! It’ll still create that extra crunchy bite.

 

  • Double frying the chicken will result in an extra crunchy exterior. Air frying the chicken works as a healthier alternative, but will leave a starchy aftertaste.

 

  • This recipe calls for flat rice cakes, but any shape rice cake would work. Be careful while handling! Sometimes, they tend to explode when frying, so use a light amount of oil when pan frying or use an air fryer.

honey butter chicken

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless

  • 1 cup Flat Rice Cakes (frozen), soaked

  • 2 tbsp. Mirin Rice Wine

  • 1 tsp. Salt

  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

  • 2 tsp. Minced Garlic

  • 1 tsp. Minced Ginger

  • 3/4 cup Potato Starch or Cornstarch

  • Neutral Oil, for frying

  • Toasted Sesame Seeds, for garnish


Honey Butter Sauce

  • 1/2 stick Butter

  • 1 tbsp. Minced Garlic

  • 1 tsp. Sugar

  • 1 tbsp. Soy Sauce

  • 2 tbsp. Honey

 

Instructions

1. Trim and dice the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Marinate with mirin, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Soak rice cakes in warm water for 30 minutes.

3. Toss chicken thighs with minced garlic, minced ginger, and potato starch.

4. Working in batches, deep fry at 350 degrees F for 4-5 minutes. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel. Double fry the chicken for another 2 minutes.

5. Pan fry the rice cakes in a little bit of neutral oil until golden brown (The rice cakes will stick together so keep them apart as much as possible. An air fryer will work for this step as well).

6. To a pan, melt butter, then add minced garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and honey, and reduce down to a sticky glaze ~2-3 minutes.

7. Toss the chicken, rice cakes, and honey butter sauce in a bowl and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Honey Butter Chicken and Rice Cakes

The crunchy, savory fried chicken, paired with the crispy rice cakes, all tossed in a sticky, sweet honey butter sauce is such an addictive flavor explosion, no wonder those honey butter chips are so popular!
Course: Appetizer, Snack, Street Food
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Keyword: chicken, chicken thighs, fried, fried chicken, honey, honey butter, honey butter chicken, honey butter chips, Korean BBQ, korean street food, rice cakes, street food

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. Chicken Thighs boneless and skinless
  • 1 cup Flat Rice Cakes frozen soaked
  • 2 tbsp. Mirin Rice Wine
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp. Minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp. Minced Ginger
  • 3/4 cup Potato Starch or Cornstarch
  • Neutral Oil for frying
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish

Honey Butter Sauce

  • 1/2 stick Butter
  • 1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp. Sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp. Honey

Instructions

  • Trim and dice the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Marinate with mirin, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Soak rice cakes in warm water for 30 minutes.
  • Toss chicken thighs with minced garlic, minced ginger, and potato starch.
  • Working in batches, deep fry at 350 degrees F for 4-5 minutes. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel. Double fry the chicken for another 2 minutes.
  • Pan fry the rice cakes in a little bit of neutral oil until golden brown (The rice cakes will stick together so keep them apart as much as possible. An air fryer will work for this step as well).
  • To a pan, melt butter, then add minced garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and honey, and reduce down to a sticky glaze ~2-3 minutes.
  • Toss the chicken, rice cakes, and honey butter sauce in a bowl and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Author

  • THERESA

    I am a food content creator and recipe developer based in the Washington D.C. area. After working in the restaurant industry for almost 10 years, I got laid off due to COVID (oh, the unprecedented times). I moved half way across the world and back into my hometown. I rediscovered a newfound appreciation for Korean cuisine and dishes I ate growing up. Here you’ll find easy & approachable Asian (mostly Korean) recipes for the everyday home cook 🙂 Have a seat, stay a while, drink some water (stay hydrated), and let’s cook something delicious together!

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