Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printable)

Golden crispy chicken tossed in a warm honey butter glaze with a spicy kick.

# 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 (e.g., Franks RedHot)
14 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
15 - Pinch of salt

# How-To Steps:

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 until evenly combined.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the coating.
04 - Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
05 - Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F), 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 while crispy.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce hits you with sweet first, then heat, then savory, keeping your tastebuds guessing with every bite
  • Crispy fried chicken stays impossibly crunchy even after being drenched in that luscious honey butter coating
02 -
  • Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature fast, leading to soggy, greasy chicken instead of crispy perfection
  • Letting chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels keeps that crunch intact by allowing steam to escape
03 -
  • Keep the sauce warm while the chicken fries so it pours easily and coats evenly
  • Toss the chicken and sauce in a large bowl instead of drizzling for maximum coverage on every piece
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