Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits (Printer-friendly)
Flaky buttery biscuits layered with crispy fried chicken and spicy-sweet hot honey for a Southern-style brunch or dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved and pounded thin (or 4 thin cutlets)
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Biscuits
10 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
11 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 3/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
16 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
→ Hot Honey
17 - 1/2 cup honey
18 - 2 tablespoons hot sauce
19 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Assembly
20 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
21 - Sliced pickles (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge the chicken breasts in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for maximum tenderness.
02 - Preheat oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the buttermilk, stirring just until the dough comes together—do not overmix.
03 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 8 rounds and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12–14 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter immediately upon removing from the oven.
04 - In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the honey with the hot sauce and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until well blended, then remove from heat and set aside.
05 - Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet to 350°F. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade, dredge each piece in the seasoned flour, and shake off any excess. Carefully place the cutlets in the hot oil and fry for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
06 - Split each biscuit in half and place a fried chicken cutlet on the bottom half. Drizzle generously with the prepared hot honey and top with sliced pickles if desired. Cap with the biscuit top and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast of crackling fried chicken against a tender, buttery biscuit is the kind of texture combination that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- Hot honey brings a gentle sweetness followed by a slow warmth that turns a simple sandwich into something you will crave on random Tuesday nights.
02 -
- If your oil temperature drops below 325 degrees the chicken will absorb grease instead of frying crisp, so work in batches and let the oil recover between pieces.
- Overworking the biscuit dough by kneading it activates the gluten and produces tough, hockey puck biscuits that no amount of honey can save.
03 -
- Place the bowl of flour for dredging in the freezer for ten minutes before coating the chicken, since cold flour adheres better and creates a crisper crust during frying.
- A final brush of melted butter on the hot biscuits right out of the oven creates a thin savory shell that holds up against the honey without turning soggy.