Hot Honey Chicken

5 from 8 votes

This Hot Honey Chicken is Crispy with a capital C! With a sweet and spicy honey glaze that'll have you eaten way past the full point!

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun/Creole, south, Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 1719kcal

In large bowl, submerge chicken in buttermilk, cover it, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
When ready to fry, in large zip-top bag combine cereal, flour, seasoned salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder and mix until well combined. Drizzle in milk and mix well. Little clumps will appear.
Using tongs, lift the chicken out of the buttermilk, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then place it in the bag of seasoned flour, thoroughly coating each piece of chicken. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Let sit until the coating has set, 10-15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a large, deep skillet to about 350°F. Carefully place the coated tenders in the hot oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a food thermometer.
Once fried, remove the tenders from the oil and let them drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
In a small saucepan, combine hot sauce, honey, and butter and heat over medium, until the butter has melted.
Once you’ve fried all the tenders, transfer them to a large bowl and toss with half the sauce until completely coated, and serve immediately.

Taste-Test That Sauce: Before you go drizzling that hot honey sauce all over your chicken, give it a little taste test. That way you can always adjust the spice to make sure it's just right for everyone at your table.
Honey Slide Trick: When you're measuring out your honey for the sauce, try spraying your measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray first. This ensures that all that sticky sweetness pours out easily, leaving no honey behind and making clean-up a breeze.
Avoid Overcrowding: Resist the temptation to cram too many tenders in at once! Whether you're frying or air frying, overcrowding leads to uneven cooking, resulting in less crispy tenders.
Use a Thermometer: Don't guess if your oil is ready for frying – use a thermometer to know for sure. Your oil should be at a steady 350°F for that ideal fry, keeping your hot honey chicken tenders crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Fry Station Setup: Start with your ready-to-cook chicken on the left, your deep fryer or large skillet in the middle, and then a cooling rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper on the right. This assembly line approach keeps things moving smoothly!