This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Crispy, buttermilk-marinated fried chicken meets a sticky-sweet homemade hot honey sauce in this irresistible Hot Honey Chicken recipe. The perfect balance of heat and sweet, it’s a crowd-pleasing favorite that delivers bold flavor in every crunchy bite.
Today’s recipe is all about crispy fried chicken coated in my sticky, sweet hot honey recipe! A magical combination of tangy, sweet, spicy, and savory flavors all rolled into one juicy, crunchy, honey-kissed bite. Everyone loves it. Yes, even the kids (and especially adults)!
The chicken is marinated in seasoned buttermilk and double-dredged in flour and cornstarch, giving it unbeatable crunch with plenty of nooks and crannies. The homemade hot honey sauce is infused with butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes for the perfect harmony of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors. Dip, dunk, or drizzle for an irresistible glossy finish.
If you would like more general deep-frying tips and tricks, this is an excellent guide to deep-frying and a perfect resource for beginners. If you’re not feeling fried chicken, you can still enjoy the sweet and spicy heat of hot honey with grilled chicken, drizzled over crunchy oven-baked cornflake chicken, roasted veggies, pizza, and so much more! And be sure to check out my 30 minute hot honey salmon recipe for a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
In this section, you’ll find details about each ingredient, plus possible substitutions. You can find the full printable recipe + ingredient measurements at the bottom of this post.
Chicken: I’ve chosen to make this recipe with thinly-sliced chicken breasts since they fry-up quickly and have a large surface area for the crispy fried coating and sauce. Chicken tenders also work great, as well as drumsticks. For more specific cooking instructions on those two cuts of chicken, head over to my buttermilk fried chicken tenders recipe and crispy buttermilk fried chicken legs.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes great chicken! At least that’s what I always say. Buttermilk both tenderizes and adds tangy flavor, while also helping the flour coating stick. If you don’t have buttermilk on-hand, substitute with 1 1/2 cups whole milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Combine and let the two sit for 10 minutes before using.
Seasoning + Spices: The chicken is seasoned with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. The seasoning is divided among the buttermilk and flour coatings, ensuring flavor with every single layer.
Coating: All you need is all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Cornstarch lightens the flour dredge, helping make the fried chicken extra crispy. Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or a 1:1 ratio of flour and panko can be used in place of the flour. Instead of the cornstarch, try using potato starch or rice flour.
Oil: Since we’re frying our chicken, it’s important to use a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point. For best results, use vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or sunflower. Avoid using olive oil which has a low smoke point.
My Hot Honey Sauce for Fried Chicken
Before I share all my pro tips for perfect hot honey chicken, let’s talk about hot honey. This sweet and spicy condiment is made by gently simmering honey and red chili flakes just long enough to infuse the honey with the heat of the chili flakes. The longer you let the chili peppers steep, the spicer your honey will taste.
These days most grocery stores sell jarred or bottled hot honey, but I highly recommend making your own. This lets you control how spicy it is. If you’re big on heat, you can even add cayenne, jalapeños, or hot sauce.
For this hot honey chicken recipe, we’re adding a little minced garlic, butter, and smoked paprika to classic variations for a little extra flavor and richness. Don’t worry, it’s just as easy to make as my original hot honey recipe.
Tips for the Best Hot Honey Chicken
- Let the hot honey sauce steep for up to one hour. Steeping infuses the honey with heat and flavor. A short steep gives you a gentle warmth, while a longer steep brings bolder, spicier kick. It’s a simple but effective way to customize the heat level to your taste. Just remember to reheat the honey before straining or brushing it onto the chicken.
- Brush, don’t drench the hot honey sauce over the chicken. This gives you just the right amount of sweet heat while keeping the chicken’s crust crispy and intact.
- Hot honey chicken is at its absolute best fresh out of the fryer when the coating is at its crispiest and the hot honey glaze is warm and glossy. If it sits too long, the sauce can soften the crust, and the magic of the texture starts to fade.
Serving Ideas
Hot honey chicken is bold, sweet, spicy, and super versatile. If I’m drizzling my chicken with super spicy hot honey sauce, I like to pair it with cool and creamy side dishes like creamy coleslaw or classic potato salad to help mellow and balance the heat. Whenever I opt for a more mild hot honey sauce, I stick with savory side dishes like baked mac and cheese, buttermilk biscuits, crisp Air Fryer French fries or my restaurant-style homemade French fries. Some other favorites include:
And when the craving hits for hot honey chicken in the chilly fall and winter months, I take full advantage of making delicious hot honey sandwiches on toasted brioche buns with shredded lettuce and pickles drenched in thick homemade garlic aioli.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storing: Allow the chicken to cool on a wire rack before transferring leftovers to an airtight container in the refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. To prevent the fried coating from sticking, place a piece of parchment or wax paper between each piece if stacking. Also allow the hot honey to cool completely before transferring it to a clean, airtight jar or container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to one day or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze unglazed fried chicken pieces. Wrap each piece tightly in foil or plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating (chicken):
- To reheat in the oven, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy. If unglazed, brush with reheated hot honey just before serving.
- To reheat in the air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add hot honey glaze after reheating for best results.
Reheating (sauce): Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth and runny.
Frequently Asked Questions
The spice level is mild to medium, depending on how long you let the red pepper flakes steep. For extra heat, steep longer or add more flakes. For milder flavor, strain the sauce early or reduce the amount of red pepper. Read more about making homemade hot honey here.
Yes! The sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Omit the garlic and it will last for even longer (up to 3 to 4 weeks!) Reheat gently before using.
Yes! While baking or air frying won t give quite the same level of crispiness as deep frying, it s still a great option. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or air fry at 375°F for 16 to 18 minutes. Lightly spray the chicken with oil before cooking for a golden, crispy finish.
More Crispy Chicken Recipes
If you make this hot honey chicken recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds thin-sliced chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
- 1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- Vegetable oil, for frying (approx. 4-6 cups)
For the Hot Honey Sauce
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper until well combined. Submerge each piece of chicken in the marinade, making sure each piece is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful and tender it will be.
- Make the hot honey sauce: As the chicken marinates, make the hot honey sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Don’t brown the garlic—just gently cook to bring out the flavor.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Let it sizzle for 15 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the honey and whisk well to combine. Let it cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let it steep for 10–60 minutes depending on how spicy you like it. Reheat slightly before serving and strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the garlic and chili flakes if desired (optional).
- Prepare the dredge: In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, and remaining ½ tsp each of paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet for prepping and resting the coated chicken.Cornstarch helps create a light, crispy texture in the coating.
- First dredge: Remove the chicken from the marinade (do not discard the marinade!), letting excess drip off. Coat each piece in the flour mixture and place on the wire rack.
- Second dredge: Dip each piece of dredged chicken back into the buttermilk marinade.
- Then dredge once more in the flour mixture.
- Rest before frying: Let the coated chicken rest on the rack for 10-15 minutes before frying. Resting allows the coating to adhere better and reduces the chance of it falling off during frying.
- Heat the oil: In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat about 2 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer for accuracy.
- Fry in batches: Carefully place 2–3 pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Fry for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp: 165°F). Don’t overcrowd the pan—this lowers the oil temperature and makes the chicken greasy.
- Drain and repeat: Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined rack or plate to drain excess oil. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches and continue frying until all pieces are done.
- Glaze and serve: Reheat the strained hot honey sauce and brush generously over each piece of fried chicken. Serve hot with biscuits, coleslaw, or over waffles for a delicious southern twist.
Notes
- To reheat in the oven (best method), preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Heat for 12–15 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy. If unglazed, brush with reheated hot honey just before serving.
- To reheat in the air fryer, preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Cook for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add hot honey glaze after reheating for best results.
- Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth and runny.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
