Description
Crispy and flavorful Hot Honey Chicken Nuggets combine tender chicken breast pieces coated in a seasoned flour and buttermilk batter, fried to golden perfection, then drizzled with a spicy-sweet hot honey sauce made from butter, honey, and Sriracha. Perfect as a spicy snack or appetizer with a balanced kick of heat and sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
Dry Flour Mixture
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- 3 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika, divided
Wet Batter
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Frying Oil
- 2 quarts vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
Hot Honey Sauce
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup Sriracha hot sauce
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and black pepper to taste evenly over the cut chicken pieces to ensure well-seasoned bites.
- Prepare dry flour mixture: In a shallow bowl, combine 1½ cups of flour, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 3 teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix well to create the coating flour.
- Make wet batter: In another shallow bowl, beat the egg with buttermilk. Whisk in the remaining ¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and baking soda until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Coat chicken in batter: Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the wet batter and toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly.
- Heat the oil: Place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill a large, heavy pot with vegetable oil and attach a deep-fry thermometer. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 325°F (163°C).
- Dredge and fry nuggets: Remove one piece of chicken from the wet batter, allow excess to drip off, and dredge it in the dry flour mixture, pressing gently to coat fully. Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches, frying for 3-4 minutes and turning halfway through until nuggets are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the cooling rack. Maintain oil temperature at 325°F between batches.
- Prepare hot honey sauce: While frying, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in honey and Sriracha until the sauce is smooth and heated through.
- Serve: Transfer the fried chicken nuggets to a serving platter and drizzle generously with the hot honey sauce or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Maintaining oil temperature at 325°F is crucial to ensure crispy, evenly cooked nuggets.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor accurate oil temperature.
- Adjust cayenne pepper and Sriracha quantity to match your preferred spice level.
- Let excess batter drip off before dredging to prevent clumpy coatings.
- Drain cooked nuggets on a cooling rack instead of paper towels to keep them crispy.
