Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Thighs (Printable Version)

Golden, crispy chicken thighs with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze ready in under an hour.

# Components:

→ 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

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry and evenly season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Arrange three shallow dishes: one with flour, a second with whisked eggs and water, and a third with panko breadcrumbs combined with garlic powder and smoked paprika.
03 - Dredge each thigh in flour, shaking off excess, dip into egg mixture, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to fully coat.
04 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken thighs 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown, crispy, and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain on a wire rack.
05 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spray both sides of breaded chicken with oil. Air-fry 8 to 10 minutes per side until crispy 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 until well blended and fluid without boiling.
07 - Drizzle hot honey evenly over chicken thighs just before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The panko crust stays ridiculously crispy even after you've drizzled it with honey, which honestly feels like a small miracle.
  • Hot honey sounds fancy but it's genuinely just five ingredients you probably have sitting around, stirred together in about two minutes.
  • Whether you're using a skillet or an air fryer, you'll get that same golden, juicy-inside result that makes people think you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The biggest mistake I made early on was dredging the chicken when it was still wet from being rinsed—all that moisture prevents the breading from sticking, and you end up with sad, bare patches that fry up tough instead of crispy.
  • Starting your oil at the right temperature is everything; if it's not hot enough, the chicken absorbs oil and becomes greasy instead of crispy, but if it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks.
03 -
  • If you have time, marinate your chicken thighs in buttermilk mixed with hot sauce for an hour before breading—it tenderizes the meat and gives you a subtle heat flavor that lives underneath the crust.
  • Make the hot honey ahead and just rewarm it gently in a saucepan while the chicken cooks, which means one less thing to think about in those final moments before eating.
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