Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches (Printable)

Fried chicken thighs, spicy hot honey, brioche, pickles, and lettuce come together for a bold, crunchy bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Marinade

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

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 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 sliced dill pickles
19 - 1 cup shredded lettuce
20 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise

# How To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add chicken thighs, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
02 - In a separate bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and salt until thoroughly blended.
03 - Remove chicken thighs from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture. For additional crunch, dip the chicken back into buttermilk and then re-coat in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F. Working in batches, fry chicken thighs for 5 to 7 minutes per side or until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack positioned over a baking sheet for draining.
05 - In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes. Warm the mixture just until it begins to bubble, then remove from heat.
06 - Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of each toasted brioche bun. Layer with shredded lettuce, one fried chicken thigh, and drizzle generously with hot honey. Add sliced dill pickles and top with the remaining bun halves.
07 - Present sandwiches at once for the best crispy, hot texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hot honey’s gooey drizzle over ultra-crunchy chicken is the kind of combination you’ll want to eat with your hands, no matter who's watching.
  • Brioche buns and a slick of mayo turn a fun dinner into pure comfort—plus, that fried chicken stays impossibly crisp to the last bite.
02 -
  • Don’t stack the fried chicken or it will steam and lose its crispy shell—space them out on a wire rack as soon as they’re done.
  • Let the hot honey cool a minute before drizzling so it doesn’t make the bread soggy—learned that one after my first batch collapsed!
03 -
  • A pinch of salt in your hot honey makes the flavors pop—don’t skip it!
  • Double breading (flour-butchermilk-flour) gives you the crunchiest crust imaginable.
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