Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printable)

Crunchy chicken thighs tossed in a luscious hot honey butter sauce for a perfect sweet-spicy finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fried Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1½ 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

# Method:

01 - Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. Add chicken thighs, turning to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours for enhanced flavor.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly mixed.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Press each piece thoroughly into the flour mixture to adhere a solid coating.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of approximately 1 inch. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) for frying.
05 - Fry chicken in batches, cooking each side for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
06 - Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt until smooth and warmed through.
07 - Arrange fried chicken on a platter and drizzle generously with the hot honey butter sauce. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crunchy coating stays crispy even after the sauce touches it, which honestly surprised me the first time.
  • You can adjust the heat level to exactly what you want, so it's never a guessing game.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels special.
02 -
  • If your oil isn't hot enough, the chicken will absorb it instead of crisping, and you'll end up with something greasy instead of crispy—I learned this the hard way on my second attempt.
  • Don't dredge the chicken too far in advance; if it sits for more than a few minutes before frying, the coating gets damp and doesn't crisp the same way.
03 -
  • If you make the sauce ahead and it cools down, just reheat it gently over low heat or in a warm spot on the stove—rewarmed sauce drizzles better than cold sauce.
  • Thighs are my go-to, but breasts work fine if that's what you have; just watch them more carefully since they dry out faster than thighs do.
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