Crispy Hot Honey Chicken (Print View)

Crunchy fried chicken drizzled with spicy-sweet honey, layered with pickles and lettuce on toasted brioche buns.

# Components:

→ Chicken Preparation

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Breading Mixture

06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying

→ Hot Honey

14 - 1/3 cup honey
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce, to taste
16 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

→ Assembly

17 - 4 brioche buns, toasted
18 - 8 dill pickle slices
19 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
20 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper. Submerge chicken thighs in the mixture, coating thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for optimal flavor development.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt until homogeneous.
03 - Remove each chicken thigh from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the breading mixture, pressing gently to ensure adherence. For maximum crunch, dip once more in buttermilk and coat again with the seasoned flour.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F. Working in batches, fry chicken thighs for 5–7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, gently warm honey with hot sauce and red pepper flakes until the mixture just begins to bubble. Remove from heat and set aside.
06 - Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of each toasted brioche bun. Place shredded lettuce and a fried chicken thigh on each bun, then drizzle generously with hot honey. Top with dill pickle slices and finish with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately to maintain optimal crispiness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The irresistible combination of spicy-sweet honey dripping over a shatteringly crisp crust feels like a little kitchen secret worth sharing.
  • Once you bite into that soft brioche, with pickles snapping and lettuce cooling things down, you’ll see why this sandwich is on repeat in my house.
02 -
  • If the oil cools down too much, your chicken will get greasy rather than crisp—work in batches, and don’t rush it.
  • Letting the fried chicken rest briefly on a wire rack instead of stacked on paper towels saves that hard-earned crunch every time.
03 -
  • Always test a small bit of breaded chicken first to nail oil temperature and seasoning before committing the whole batch.
  • A dash of smoked salt in the honey takes the sauce to another level—totally worth the extra step.
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