Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printable Version)

Crispy fried chicken tossed in spicy sweet honey butter for the ultimate sweet heat combination.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fried Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ½ cup cornstarch
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Hot Honey Butter Sauce

11 - ¼ cup unsalted butter
12 - ⅓ cup honey
13 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (e.g., Franks RedHot)
14 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
15 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine buttermilk and 1 teaspoon hot sauce in a bowl. Add chicken thighs, coating thoroughly. Marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Thoroughly dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere.
04 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a large skillet or Dutch oven, maintaining about 1 inch depth for frying.
05 - Fry chicken in batches for 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C). Drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
06 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt until smooth and warmed through.
07 - Arrange fried chicken on a serving platter and drizzle generously with the hot honey butter sauce. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hot honey butter creates this incredible sticky glaze that clings to every crispy crag
  • Buttermilk keeps the chicken incredibly tender while the crust stays shatteringly crisp
  • You can adjust the heat level from gentle warmth to full-on fire-breathing dragon
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and you will end up with soggy greasy chicken
  • Let the chicken rest on a wire rack not paper towels which traps steam and makes the coating soggy
  • The sauce thickens as it cools so toss the chicken right before serving for the best consistency
03 -
  • Double-dip the chicken in buttermilk and flour again for extra thick crust
  • Keep the glaze warm so it coats evenly instead of hardening on contact
  • Serve with cooling sides like creamy coleslaw or pickles to balance the heat
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