Cut the chicken into ¾-inch pieces, then stir 1 tablespoon water, baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce together in a bowl until the baking soda dissolves before mixing in the chicken and resting it for 10 minutes. The liquid should have no visible baking soda granules, and every piece should look moistened.

Distribute the cornstarch over the rested chicken and turn the pieces through the mixture in the same bowl. A thin, even coating should cover the chicken without pockets of dry starch.

Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce with the honey, gochujang, and rice vinegar in a bowl or measuring cup. The thick chili paste should blend into a uniform sauce without stubborn lumps.

Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat, fry half the chicken without moving it for 2–3 minutes, turn and cook for another 2–4 minutes until cooked through, then transfer it to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding oil as needed. Look for golden surfaces and lightly crisp edges before lifting each cooked batch from the skillet.

Lower the burner to medium-low, let the skillet cool for 2 minutes, sauté the garlic in a small drizzle of oil, then raise the heat to high, pour in the sauce, return the chicken as bubbling begins, toss to coat, remove from the heat, and finish with green onions and sesame seeds. The garlic should sizzle gently rather than brown immediately, and the bubbling sauce should leave the chicken glossy and evenly coated.

Divide the finished chicken among four portions and serve promptly. The glaze should still cling to the warm chicken, with some texture remaining along the golden edges.