Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printable Version)

Crispy fried chicken with hot honey butter sauce - sweet heat meets savory crunch in every bite.

# What You Need:

→ For the 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

→ For the 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. Submerge chicken thighs completely in the mixture. Refrigerate for 20 minutes up to 4 hours for optimal flavor penetration.
02 - Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly until spices are evenly distributed.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage on all sides.
04 - Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven. Heat to 350°F over medium-high heat.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt until completely smooth and heated through.
07 - Arrange fried chicken on a serving platter. Generously drizzle hot honey butter sauce over the top. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this magical sweet-heat balance that keeps everyone guessing what makes it so addictive without being overwhelming.
  • The double coating technique gives you that audible crunch that makes homemade fried chicken worth every bit of effort.
02 -
  • Letting the coated chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying helps the coating adhere better and prevents it from slipping off during cooking.
  • Adding a splash of water to thin the honey butter sauce slightly if it becomes too thick can save your sauce from breaking.
03 -
  • If your hot honey butter sauce separates or looks broken, add a teaspoon of very hot water and whisk vigorously to bring it back together.
  • Reserve some of the seasoned flour mixture before coating your chicken, then sprinkle it on the freshly fried pieces for extra flavor and texture contrast.
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