Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits combine crisp, seasoned fried chicken with warm, buttery biscuits and a sweet-spicy drizzle of hot honey. The contrast between crunchy chicken, tender biscuits, and sticky honey makes this a satisfying Southern-inspired meal that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
This version uses a buttermilk marinade to keep the chicken flavorful and tender, followed by a seasoned flour coating for a crisp crust. The biscuits can be baked while the chicken marinates, making the recipe easier to assemble when you’re ready to serve.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Additional Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 chicken biscuits
- Difficulty: Intermediate
Why This Recipe Works
- Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken: The mild acidity helps soften the chicken while adding flavor.
- A seasoned flour coating creates crunch: Flour combined with cornstarch gives the chicken a crisp, craggy exterior.
- Hot honey balances the savory chicken: Sweet honey and chili heat cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
- Homemade biscuits add tenderness: Buttery biscuits provide a soft contrast to the crunchy chicken.
- The components can be prepared separately: The biscuits and chicken can be made on their own and assembled just before serving.
Essential Kitchen Tools
- Large bowl for marinating
- 2 shallow bowls for the coating and dredging
- 9-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wire rack
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry cutter or fingertips for cutting butter into the biscuit dough
- Rolling pin
Ingredients That Matter
- ■ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (907 g), trimmed and cut into 8 portions
- ■ 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (360 ml), for marinating
- ■ 1 large egg (50 g), beaten
- ■ 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (8 g), divided
- ■ 1 teaspoon paprika (2 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
- ■ 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 g)
- ■ 1/2 cup cornstarch (60 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon paprika (2 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon onion powder (3 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon kosher salt (5 g)
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1 g), optional
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2 g)
- ■ 1/2 cup buttermilk (120 ml), for creating a craggy coating
- ■ 3 cups peanut or vegetable oil (720 ml), for frying
- ■ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 g)
- ■ 1 tablespoon baking powder (12 g)
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (3 g)
- ■ 1 teaspoon kosher salt (5 g)
- ■ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (13 g)
- ■ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113 g), cold and cut into small cubes
- ■ 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml), cold
- ■ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 g), melted, for brushing
- ■ 1/2 cup honey (170 g)
- ■ 1 tablespoon hot sauce (15 ml)
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (1 g)
- ■ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)
- ■ 1/4 cup dill pickle chips (35 g), optional
- ■ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (3 g), optional
Cooking Method
- Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, the beaten egg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. The chicken should be fully coated and submerged as much as possible.
- Prepare the biscuit dough. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Finish and cut the biscuits. Pour in the cold buttermilk and gently stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Fold it in half once, then pat it back to about 3/4 inch thick. Cut 8 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch (6-cm) round cutter, pressing straight down rather than twisting.
- Bake the biscuits. Arrange the biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are fully set. Brush the hot biscuits with the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside while you fry the chicken.
- Prepare the chicken coating. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne if using, and baking powder. Drizzle the 1/2 cup buttermilk over the flour mixture and gently toss with your fingers until small, irregular clumps form. These clumps create a craggy fried crust.
- Dredge the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the seasoned flour mixture, turning and pressing so the coating sticks to every surface. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and let it stand for 5–10 minutes. The coating should look slightly damp and textured rather than powdery.
- Heat the frying oil. Pour the oil into a 9-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet, filling it to about 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature because adding chicken will lower the oil temperature.
- Fry the chicken. Carefully add the chicken in batches, leaving enough room between pieces for the oil to circulate. Fry for about 4–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until deeply golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Keep the oil around 325–350°F (165–175°C) while frying. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet so excess oil can drain without making the crust soggy.
- Make the hot honey. While the chicken rests, combine the honey, hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and butter in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Do not boil the honey. Taste and add more hot sauce only if you want additional heat.
- Assemble the biscuits. Split each warm biscuit horizontally. Place one piece of fried chicken inside each biscuit and drizzle generously with the warm hot honey. Add optional pickle chips and chopped chives. Serve immediately while the chicken is crisp and the biscuits are warm.
Chef Notes for Better Results
- Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part.
- Drizzle the hot honey immediately before serving for the best contrast between crisp chicken and sticky glaze.
- If the hot honey seems too thick, warm it gently for another 30 seconds rather than adding water.
Serving, Storage, and Prep-Ahead Tips
- Store leftover fried chicken separately from the biscuits in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Keep the hot honey refrigerated in a small covered container for up to 1 week.
- For the best texture, store biscuits separately and assemble the sandwiches just before eating.
FAQ
Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?
Yes. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into evenly sized pieces.
Can I make the biscuits ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the biscuits up to 1 day ahead and store them tightly covered at room temperature.
How can I make the chicken extra crispy?
The combination of flour and cornstarch helps create a crisp coating. Adding small buttermilk clumps to the seasoned flour also creates extra texture on the chicken.
Can I make the hot honey less spicy?
Yes. Reduce the hot sauce and red pepper flakes, or use plain honey with just a small amount of hot sauce for mild heat.
Why did my fried chicken turn greasy?
The oil was likely too cool or the skillet was overcrowded. Fry in batches and keep the oil close to 325–350°F (165–175°C) throughout cooking.
Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits
Ingredients
Method
Method
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, the beaten egg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. The chicken should be fully coated and submerged as much as possible.
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Pour in the cold buttermilk and gently stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Fold it in half once, then pat it back to about 3/4 inch thick. Cut 8 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch (6-cm) round cutter, pressing straight down rather than twisting.
- Arrange the biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are fully set. Brush the hot biscuits with the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside while you fry the chicken.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne if using, and baking powder. Drizzle the 1/2 cup buttermilk over the flour mixture and gently toss with your fingers until small, irregular clumps form. These clumps create a craggy fried crust.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the seasoned flour mixture, turning and pressing so the coating sticks to every surface. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and let it stand for 5–10 minutes. The coating should look slightly damp and textured rather than powdery.
- Pour the oil into a 9-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet, filling it to about 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature because adding chicken will lower the oil temperature.
- Carefully add the chicken in batches, leaving enough room between pieces for the oil to circulate. Fry for about 4–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until deeply golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Keep the oil around 325–350°F (165–175°C) while frying. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet so excess oil can drain without making the crust soggy.
- While the chicken rests, combine the honey, hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and butter in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Do not boil the honey. Taste and add more hot sauce only if you want additional heat.
- Split each warm biscuit horizontally: Place one piece of fried chicken inside each biscuit and drizzle generously with the warm hot honey. Add optional pickle chips and chopped chives. Serve immediately while the chicken is crisp and the biscuits are warm.
