Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Crispy fried chicken thighs tossed in a sweet and spicy hot honey butter sauce with perfect savory crunch.

# What You'll 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
15 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

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), 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy coating and silky butter sauce is almost unfair in the best way.
  • You control the heat level so it never overpowers the honey sweetness.
  • It comes together fast enough for a weeknight but feels like a celebration.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven and stay crunchy.
02 -
  • If your oil is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside cooks, keep it steady at 350°F and adjust the heat as needed.
  • Don't skip the wire rack for draining, paper towels trap steam and make the bottom of your chicken soggy.
  • The sauce will thicken as it cools, so drizzle it while it's still warm and fluid.
03 -
  • Let the chicken sit out for 10 minutes before frying so it cooks more evenly and doesn't cool down the oil too much.
  • Use a splatter screen if you have one, this chicken spits and pops like it has a vendetta.
  • Make extra sauce and keep it in a jar in the fridge, it's incredible on everything from biscuits to roasted carrots.
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