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Hot Honey Fried Chicken

Hot Honey Fried Chicken Recipe

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 680
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for finishing
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Neutral oil for frying
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 to 2 tbsp chili flakes (gochugaru or crushed red pepper)
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method
 

  1. Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, coat well, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to 12 hours.
  2. In a shallow dish, combine flour, cornstarch, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Remove chicken from buttermilk, let excess drip off, then press each piece firmly in the flour mixture until shaggy. Place on a wire rack and rest 10 minutes.
  3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken in small batches, turning once, until deep golden and 165°F internal, about 10 to 14 minutes depending on cut. Drain on a wire rack and season lightly with salt.
  4. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm honey, chili flakes, and vinegar until fragrant and just bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. Arrange hot chicken on a platter, spoon warm hot honey over the top, and serve immediately.

Notes

The hands-on time in this recipe is about 45 minutes, but the chicken needs at least 30 minutes to brine, so plan ahead. If your kitchen runs cool, let the dredged chicken come to room temperature for 10 minutes while the oil heats to prevent a big temperature drop when frying.