What Is Hot Honey Chicken
Meet hot honey chicken! This tasty dish brings together the irresistible combination of spicy and sweet flavors with crispy fried chicken. It’s incredible with its crunchy exterior and juicy interior, but the real star here is the hot honey sauce! Made with a blend of hot sauce, honey, and butter, it’s like buffalo sauce met honey and took things to a whole new level of deliciousness. But even better, this recipe uses the air fryer to fry the chicken to perfection. This means it achieves that coveted crispy texture without using any oil, resulting in less mess and less fat. So, if you love spicy chicken, it’s time to break out your air fryer and give this hot honey chicken recipe a go!
Chicken – I am using boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs will also work well if you prefer. Buttermilk – Acts as a natural tenderizer and gives the chicken a delightful tangy flavor. You can make a substitute for buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. All-Purpose Flour – Used to coat the chicken to form a crispy breading. You can use a gluten-free flour blend if you like. Garlic Powder – Adds a delightful kick of garlic to the breading of the chicken. Smoked Paprika – Just a pinch infuses the dish with a little smoky flavor. Seasonings – Salt and black pepper perfectly season the flour mixture.
Hot Sauce – Infuses the chicken with a spicy kick. Feel free to use store-bought hot sauce like Frank’s RedHot or homemade hot sauce. Honey – Balances the spiciness of the hot sauce with the perfect touch of sweetness. Butter – Adds richness and depth to the hot honey sauce. Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of added salt. Chili Powder – Adds an extra layer of heat. Feel free to omit it if you prefer a milder flavor, or add even more spice with the addition of some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Garlic Powder – Makes the sauce nice and garlicky. I used garlic powder because it incorporates better with the other ingredients. Fresh Parsley – Adds a nice finishing touch and layer of fresh herby goodness.
This recipe is the epitome of easy! With simple steps and the help of an air fryer, you can have crispy and tender chicken coated in a yummy sauce in less than an hour! The first step is to tenderize the chicken and infuse it with tangy goodness! Start by putting the chicken breasts in a large bowl and pouring the buttermilk over them. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Right before you’re ready to cook, prepare the flour mixture. Simply place the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Then whisk the mixture together to ensure all the spices are evenly distributed. Next, remove the marinated breasts from the buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off. Then dredge each piece in the flour mixture, making sure to coat every surface of the chicken and gently shake off any excess flour. After you’re done dredging the chicken, preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) if needed. Time to let the air fryer work its magic! Lay the coated chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Then spray the chicken with nonstick cooking spray on both sides. Now, put the chicken into the air fryer and let it cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until it’s golden brown and fully cooked. While the chicken is cooking away in the air fryer, start making the hot honey sauce. First, place the hot sauce, honey, unsalted butter, chili powder, and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Then heat the mixture over low heat, while stirring occasionally. When it’s ready, the butter will be completely melted and the sauce will be smooth. Once the chicken is cooked, drizzle the hot honey sauce over the breasts in the air fryer basket. Use a spoon to spread the sauce evenly. Then put the chicken back into the air fryer and let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes so that the sauce can get bubbly and caramelize. When the chicken is ready, remove it from the air fryer basket and garnish it with fresh chopped parsley. Then serve your hot honey chicken immediately with some sides such as sweet potatoes and coleslaw. Or, turn it into a chicken sandwich topped with some pickles and ranch dressing. The serving options are endless!
Storage
You can store leftover air fryer hot honey chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag. To reheat, simply place it in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 7 minutes to regain its crispy texture, or microwave it on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes. However, if your chicken is frozen, an oven is the best option. Just place it on a baking sheet and warm it at 350°F (177°C) for around 20 minutes or until it’s heated through.
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title: “Hot Honey Chicken” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-10” author: “Deloris Davis”
Hot Honey Chicken
This oven-baked, extra crispy Hot Honey Chicken is drizzled with mouth-watering hot honey sauce that gives this chicken a sweet and spicy kick! Your taste buds will love you for this! Believe it or not, my 7-year old daughter can handle the heat in this recipe. The real kick comes from the sauce, so you can control how powerful it is by how much hot honey sauce you drizzle on top! Baking the chicken makes this recipe a breeze. I like to cook a pot of rice while it bakes in the oven, the two pair so well together! Be sure to check out my PRO tips below!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Slice chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices and pound to 1/2-inch thick. Season with salt/pepper and dredge in flour/brown sugar.
Transfer to whisked eggs/hot sauce mixture, then to breading mixture (crushed cornflakes, paprika, salt, chili powder, pepper, cayenne pepper).
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 425° for 16 minutes. Drizzle with hot honey sauce and serve!
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Leftovers reheat well in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.
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Large Baking Sheet– I use this light colored baking sheet. There is plenty of room- for all of the chicken.
Wire Cooling Racks– Placing the chicken on cooling racks allows for air flow all around while it bakes for extra crispy results. Meat Tenderizer– To pound the chicken flat and make it extra tender. Slotted Spatula Honey Dipper– Because they’re fun. 😁
