Hot Honey Fried Chicken Thighs

Last updated on April 2nd, 2026

When I’m looking for something simple to make during the week, I’m usually grabbing some chicken or some type of protein that I can just toss in one pot or pan and whip up pretty quick. I wanted to do something new with chicken thighs because I feel like, they’re really underrated! These Hot Honey Fried Chicken Thighs gave all the fried chicken vibes while being sweet and kinda spicy all at the same time. These were easy to make and even easier to eat! They had this Southern meets Asian vibe to them! My kids loved them – they were still family friendly! Just grab your favorite dipping sauce and dig in. The messiest meals are usually the yummiest!

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So, what’s with the hot honey boom lately? Where did that flavor profile come from?

The hot honey flavor combo has deep roots from around the world but really popped off in 2004 thanks to a man named, Mike Kurtz. He had discovered a chili-infused honey while studying abroad in Brazil, and he was feeling so inspired by it, he decided to launch “Mike’s Hot Honey” in Brooklyn, NY! Because of Mike’s cool Brazilian find and initiative, this created the hot honey boom in the early 2020’s!

Did you know?

Breading and frying chicken is a super old technique, which was first practiced by the Scottish in the 1700’s. They brought this technique to America and by the 1800’s, this really blew up in the states! The very first written recipe for fried chicken appeared in “The Virgina Housewife” cookbook in 1825! This was also one of America’s first cookbooks. I think that’s SO cool! Especially because VA is like my dream place to live! And not too long after, when broilers became available, this whole process was much more accessible to everyone!

Chicken thighs have a lot to appreciate about them too! Since they’re made of dark meat and higher in fat, they are more forgiving to cook since it’s harder for them to dry out. They stay juicy and it’s really easy to get a nice crisp on them too! They have zero carbs and they’re also really affordable! I feel like chicken thighs deserve more love.

What ingredients do I need to make this?

For the honey garlic marinade:

Garlic
Honey
Soy Sauce
Cayenne
Paprika
Rice Vinegar

For the chicken:

Chicken Thighs
Salt
Black Pepper

For the crispy coating:

Flour
Cornstarch
Baking Powder
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt
Cayenne
Dried Oregano
Black Pepper

For the homemade buttermilk:

Milk
White Vinegar

For frying:

Grapeseed Oil

For serving:

Flaky Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
Cilantro

What equipment do I need?

• Shallow Dishes
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Tongs
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Paper Towel
• Baking Rack
• Large Baking Sheet
• Meat Thermometer

How do I make it?

To make the marinade:

The first thing we’ll want to do is get the marinade made, that way we can get our chicken in there and let it marinate for a while. Mince up the garlic, then add it to a large mixing bowl along with all of the other ingredients for the honey garlic marinade. Whisk to combine, then set it aside until ready to use.

To prep the chicken thighs:

Pat the chicken thighs very dry on both sides. Add the seasonings for the chicken to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Next, sprinkle the seasonings all over the thighs, using your hands to massage the spices in.

Add the thighs to the marinade, flip them around to coat, then cover and refrigerate for a while. While those marinate, you can start prepping the rest of the ingredients.

To make the crispy coating and set up the dredge station:

In a shallow bowl, add all ingredients for the crispy coating and whisk to combine. In another shallow bowl, add the milk and vinegar, whisk to combine, then let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to curdle and separate. This is my hack for making homemade buttermilk!

While we wait, let’s get out our marinated chicken and set up our dredging station with the chicken first, the flour mixture next, and the buttermilk last.

To dredge the chicken:

Dredge each thigh in the flour mixture on both sides, letting the excess fall off. Next, move them to the buttermilk, coating completely on both sides, then moving them back into the flour mixture, coating both sides again, and allowing that excess to fall off.

Move to a plate and repeat with all chicken thighs. Next, wet your hands with some buttermilk and toss it into the leftover flour, creating little crumbles. Press those onto the thighs.

Let sit for several minutes while you heat up the oil.

Pro Tip: Allowing the chicken to sit for a bit helps the crust to cling better and adding these flour clumps creates that fried chicken “crag” we all know and love!

To make the hot honey fried chicken thighs:

In a cast iron skillet, add the oil and heat on medium. We want the oil to be about 1/4-inch depth inside the pan and we’re looking for the temp to reach 180 F. You can tell it’s to temp once it’s shimmering and by tossing a little flour inside. If it’s ready, the flour will sizzle. I like to temp mine too because if the oil gets too hot and burns, you’ll have to start over!

Add the thighs to the pan and cook them in batches of about 3 at a time. We don’t want to overcrowd them! Allow those to cook for a few minutes, without disturbing.

While they’re frying, let’s get an area set up for us to put them when they’re done. Line a large baking sheet with some paper toweling, then place a baking rack over it.

Flip the thighs, turn the heat to medium low, and cook a few minutes more. Once the thighs have reached 175 F, move them to the prepared rack and repeat with remaining ingredients.

To serve:

Sprinkle the chicken with flaky salt, freshly minced cilantro, and red pepper flakes while they’re still hot. This way the toppings will cling to the breading!

Serve hot honey fried chicken thighs with your favorite dipping sauces and sides! Enjoy.

Tips:

• If you don’t have thighs, you could do this with really any cut of chicken. Just adjust the amounts and temps accordingly.
• You could also deep fry these or fry in a pot. It really doesn’t matter!
• I let my chicken marinate for an hour, but you could let it go up to 4 hours, depending how much time you have! I would not recommend exceeding those 4 hours though, as the rice vinegar in the marinade may cause the chicken to lose its texture.
• I used grapeseed oil, but you can also use canola or any other nuetral oil.

Looking for ideas to serve these with? Check out these sauces and sides!

• Homemade Ranch
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Chipotle Aioli

Can’t get enough crispy chicken in your life?

• Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
• Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich
• Lemon Herb Chicken Drumsticks