Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy fried chicken tossed in hot honey butter sauce with the perfect balance of sweet heat and savory crunch.

# What You Need:

→ For the Fried Chicken

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→ For the Hot Honey Butter Sauce

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# Directions:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

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  • The contrast between the shatteringly crisp exterior and the juicy chicken underneath creates this magical moment when the hot honey butter sauce clings to all the nooks and crannies.
  • Its honestly become my go-to for impressing friends without spending all day cooking – the prep is simple but the payoff is absolutely restaurant-worthy.
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  • The oil temperature will drop when you add the chicken, so start with it slightly higher (around 360°F) to compensate for the inevitable dip.
  • Letting the fried chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps the bottom from getting soggy – five minutes of patience makes all the difference in maintaining that perfect crunch.
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  • If the honey butter sauce starts to separate or look grainy, remove it from heat immediately and add a teaspoon of hot water while whisking vigorously to bring it back together.
  • Invest in a clip-on thermometer for your frying pot to maintain consistent oil temperature without guesswork – it completely transformed my fried chicken game.
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