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Crispy Hot Honey Chicken

Crispy fried chicken cutlets marinated in buttermilk, coated in crunchy breading, and finished with a spicy-sweet hot honey sauce.
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Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 3 large chicken breasts trimmed and halved
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the Hot Honey Sauce

  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Breading

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Canola oil for frying

Instructions
 

  • Season chicken with salt and soak in buttermilk for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours refrigerated) to tenderize.
  • Whisk melted butter, honey, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Mix flour, panko, garlic powder, paprika, baking powder, and pepper in a shallow dish.
  • Lift chicken from buttermilk, let excess drip off, then coat in breading. Press gently to adhere. Let rest on a rack for 5 minutes.
  • Heat ½–¾ inch oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry chicken in batches for 4–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to paper towel-lined rack.
  • Brush hot cutlets generously with sauce right after frying. Let rest briefly.
  • Serve hot and crispy with extra sauce on the side.