Hot Honey Fried Chicken Recipe

Hot honey fried chicken combines two beloved culinary traditions: the crispy, seasoned perfection of Southern fried chicken and the sweet-heat kick of hot honey. This dish has gained popularity for good reason, the contrast between the crunchy exterior, juicy meat, and that sticky-spicy glaze creates an irresistible flavor experience.

Hot Honey Fried Chicken Recipe

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Course: MainCuisine: USADifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Calories

552

kcal
Total time

5

hours 

20

minutes
Cook Mode

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Ingredients

  • For the chicken:
  • 8 8 chicken pieces

  • 480 ml 2 cup buttermilk

  • 60 ml 1/4 cup hot sauce

  • 1 tablespoons 1 tbsp kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoons 1 tsp black pepper

  • 300 g 2 1/2 cup flour

  • 60 g 1/2 cup cornstarch

  • 1 tablespoons 1 tbsp garlic powder

  • 1 tablespoons 1 tbsp onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons 2 tsp paprika

  • 1 teaspoons 1 tsp cayenne pepper

  • 1 teaspoons 1 tsp dried thyme

  • Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

  • For the hot honey drizzle:
  • 180 ml 3/4 cup hot honey

  • 1 tablespoons 1 tbsp butter

  • 1 teaspoons 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • cast iron skillet
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Baking sheet
  • tongs
  • paper towels
  • Saucepan
  • Pastry brush

Directions

  • Combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl, whisking until well mixed.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  • When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme. Mix thoroughly.
  • Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure a good coating.
  • Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and let rest for 15 minutes. This helps the coating adhere to the chicken.
  • Pour oil into your cast iron skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1½ inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C).
  • Carefully place 3-4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, skin side down first. Do not overcrowd the pan.
  • Fry the chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side, maintaining an oil temperature between 325°F-350°F (163°C-175°C), until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for white meat or 175°F (80°C) for dark meat.
  • Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  • While the last batch of chicken is frying, warm the store-bought hot honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, just until the butter melts. Stir in the apple cider vinegar if using.
  • Once all the chicken has been fried, brush each piece generously with the warmed hot honey mixture while still hot.
  • Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving to let the honey glaze set slightly.
  • Serve warm with additional hot honey on the side for extra drizzling.

Notes

  • For extra crispiness, double-dredge your chicken: after the first coating, dip it back in the buttermilk, then coat again with the flour mixture.

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