Sticky honey garlic chicken noodles make a lovely midweek dinner when you want something that feels a little like a takeaway but doesn’t take long to cook. Bite-sized pieces of chicken are lightly coated in cornflour and fried until golden, then tossed with egg noodles, crunchy sugar snap peas and a glossy honey and garlic sauce.
What You Need
The quantities and full method are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced into bite-sized pieces. They stay juicy when fried in batches. You can use chicken breast instead; take care not to overcook it.
- Cornflour: Two tablespoons give the chicken a light coating that helps it turn golden. A separate teaspoon mixed with cold water thickens the sauce.
- Egg noodles: One dry or fresh noodle nest per person is a good portion for this recipe. Cook according to the packet before adding to the pan.
- Sugar snap peas: They only need a short stir-fry so they keep some crunch. You could use mangetout or thinly sliced broccoli instead.
- Spring onions: Cook the white parts briefly with the garlic and save the green parts for serving.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and helps make the sauce sticky.
- Dark soy sauce: Gives the sauce its savoury flavour and deep colour. Soy sauces vary considerably in salt content, so the nutrition will depend on the bottle you use. Reduced-salt soy sauce is an option if preferred.
- Garlic, sesame oil and sriracha: These bring flavour to the sauce. Use a little less sriracha if you want it milder.
- Sesame seeds: Sprinkle over just before serving for a little crunch.
Equipment
You’ll need a large frying pan or wok, a saucepan for the noodles, and two small bowls or jugs for the sauce and cornflour slurry. A large non-stick sauté pan works well if that’s what you have. The most important thing is to leave enough room for the chicken to brown in two batches.
How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken Noodles
Get the noodles and sauce ready. Cook the egg noodles according to the packet, then drain. Stir the honey, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha together in a small bowl. Slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
Note: if you are using fresh noodles these can go in at the end as they can cook in the heat of the pan with the other ingredients.
Coat the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss with 2 tablespoons of cornflour until the pieces have a thin, even coating. The soy sauce adds plenty of salt to the finished dish, so go easy on the salt at this stage.
Fry it in batches. Heat the neutral oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer. Give it time to form a golden crust before turning, then cook until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest. Crowding all the chicken into the pan at once makes it steam instead of crisp.
Make the glossy sauce. Pour off any excess oil, leaving a little in the pan. Stir-fry the sugar snap peas for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and white parts of the spring onions for 30 seconds. Pour in the honey and soy mixture and let it bubble for a minute.
Stir the teaspoon of cornflour into 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it again just before adding it to the pan, and cook briefly until the sauce thickens and looks glossy.
Toss everything together. Add the drained noodles and toss until heated through and coated in sauce. Return the chicken to the pan last, tossing briefly so it picks up the glaze without losing all its crispness. Divide between two bowls and scatter over the spring onion greens and sesame seeds. Serve straight away.
Tips For Crispy Chicken
- Dry the chicken first. Surface moisture makes the cornflour coating damp and slows down browning.
- Use a light coating. You want a thin layer of cornflour, rather than a thick batter.
- Leave space in the pan. Two batches are worth the few extra minutes for making the chicken crispier.
- Wait before turning. Let the chicken become golden underneath before moving it around.
- Add it back at the end. The sauce will coat the chicken, but the longer it sits in the pan, the softer the crust becomes.
Can I Use Protein Noodles?
Yes. The recipe uses ordinary dry egg noodles, one nest per person, but you can swap them for a pack of higher-protein noodles if you prefer. Follow the packet instructions and bear in mind that the cooking time and nutrition figures will change.
Can I Make It Ahead?
This is best eaten as soon as it is cooked, while the chicken still has some crispness and the sugar snap peas retain their bite. You can dice the chicken, slice the spring onions and mix the honey, soy, sesame oil and sriracha ahead of time; keep the chicken covered in the fridge and coat it in cornflour just before frying.
If you have leftovers, cool them promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within two days. Reheat thoroughly until piping hot. The chicken coating will soften, but a splash of water in the pan can help loosen the noodles and sauce. I wouldn’t freeze the finished noodle dish, as the texture is best fresh.
More Stir-Fry Recipes
If you enjoy quick dinners like this, try my beef noodle stir fry, cashew chicken stir fry or pork mince stir fry.
Honey Garlic Chicken Noodles
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Ingredients
- 400 g chicken diced into bite-sized pieces (see note 1)
- 2 tbsp cornflour for coating the chicken
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for frying
- 2 nests egg noodles (see note 2)
- 150 g sugar snap peas
- 2 spring onions sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds to finish
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce (see note 2)
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain. Mix the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha in a small bowl.
- Pat the chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with 2 tbsp cornflour until lightly coated.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in two batches, giving the pieces space and turning them once they’ve formed a golden crust. Cook until crisp and cooked through, then transfer to a plate.
- Pour off any excess oil, leaving a little in the pan. Add the sugar snap peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and the white parts of the spring onions; cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the honey-soy mixture and let it bubble for a minute. Stir the 1 tsp cornflour and water mixture again, add it to the pan and cook until the sauce turns glossy and thickens.
- Toss the noodles through the sauce until hot. Add the chicken last and toss briefly to coat. Serve straight away with the green parts of the spring onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.