Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printable)

Crispy fried chicken coated in sweet spicy honey butter glaze for the perfect balance of flavors.

# 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
14 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
15 - Pinch of salt

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Whisk buttermilk and 1 teaspoon hot sauce in a bowl. Add chicken thighs, turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to distribute spices evenly throughout the flour mixture.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture, coating completely and shaking off any excess.
04 - Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven. Heat to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying for optimal crisping.
05 - Cook chicken in batches without overcrowding the pan. Fry 5–7 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt until smooth and fully combined. Keep warm until ready to serve.
07 - Arrange fried chicken on a serving platter. Drizzle hot honey butter sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately while chicken remains crispy and sauce is warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between shatteringly crispy skin and that sticky, spicy sauce hits every craving at once
  • Its the kind of dish that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what you put in it
02 -
  • Double dipping the chicken back into buttermilk and then flour again creates next level crunch, though it takes more time
  • Letting the chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps the bottom from getting soggy
03 -
  • Pat the chicken dry before marinating so the buttermilk can actually penetrate the meat
  • Let the fried chicken rest for just a couple of minutes before saucing so the crust has time to set
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