Hot Honey Butter Chicken (Print)

Crispy fried chicken coated in a luscious sweet heat butter sauce with balanced flavors.

# Components:

→ 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, enough to fill 1 inch of pan

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Combine buttermilk and 1 teaspoon hot sauce in a bowl. Fully submerge chicken thighs and marinate for at least 20 minutes up to 4 hours.
02 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Thoroughly dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing for full adherence.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven until it reaches 350°F (175°C), filling the pan about 1 inch deep.
05 - Fry chicken in batches, cooking each side for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain on wire rack over a baking sheet.
06 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt until well combined and warm.
07 - Arrange fried chicken on a platter and generously drizzle with hot honey butter sauce before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That honeyed heat coating hits different when the chicken is still warm and the butter is melting into every crevice.
  • It's impressive enough for guests but honest enough for a weeknight, and somehow tastes like both comfort food and celebration at once.
02 -
  • The chicken will keep crisping up for a few minutes after it comes out of the oil, so don't panic if it looks slightly pale—it'll get darker as it rests.
  • The hot honey butter is where you taste as you go because everyone's heat tolerance is different, and there's no way to dial it back once it's done.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, fry the chicken and store it separately from the hot honey butter, then warm both gently before drizzling—the sauce gets thick as it cools but comes back to life with gentle heat.
  • Chicken breasts and drumsticks work fine if that's what you have, though thighs are genuinely better because the darker meat has more forgiveness and flavor.
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