Hot Honey Crispy Chicken (Printable Version)

Golden panko-crusted chicken thighs with a sweet and spicy hot honey drizzle for a flavorful main course.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Breading Station

04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 tablespoon water
07 - 1¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
08 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
09 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Frying

10 - ½ cup neutral oil (for frying; optional if air-frying)

→ Hot Honey Drizzle

11 - ⅓ cup honey
12 - 1½ teaspoons hot sauce (e.g., Frank's RedHot)
13 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
14 - ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
15 - Pinch of salt

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.
02 - Arrange flour in one shallow dish, whisk eggs with water in a second, and combine panko, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a third.
03 - Dredge each chicken thigh in flour, tap off excess, dip into egg mixture, then press firmly into panko mixture ensuring full coating.
04 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken thighs 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden, crisp, and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray both sides of breaded chicken with oil. Air-fry for 8 to 10 minutes per side until crisp and fully cooked.
06 - In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes if using, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Warm gently while stirring until combined and fluid without boiling.
07 - Drizzle the warm hot honey evenly over cooked chicken thighs just before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy inside while the panko crust shatters on the outside.
  • Hot honey sounds fancy but comes together in literally two minutes.
  • You can fry it or air-fry it depending on your mood and your smoke detector's feelings about it.
  • It's dairy-free, which makes it feel like you're being virtuous while eating something totally indulgent.
02 -
  • Room temperature chicken and eggs make the egg wash coat more evenly than cold ones straight from the fridge.
  • Pressing the panko into the chicken instead of just rolling it in makes the crust actually stay attached instead of flaking off.
  • Don't skip the wire rack for draining fried chicken or it'll sit in its own grease and turn soggy.
03 -
  • If you want to take this recipe further, marinate the chicken in buttermilk mixed with hot sauce for an hour before breading for a flavor boost that gets deeper and spicier.
  • The exact amount of hot sauce and red pepper flakes in the honey is just a starting point, so taste it and adjust until it feels like yours.
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