Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Juicy super crispy chicken sandwich that is perfectly seasoned then topped with a thick drizzle of homemade hot honey infused with jalapeno and red chili peppers. The crisp buttery but is then topped with cheese and mayo for a simple sandwich that allows you to enjoy all the sweet and spicy flavors!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4 inch thick for tenderness and even cooking. Pat dry
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt divided among chicken pieces
- 1-2 quarts peanut or vegetable/canola oil for deep frying
Chicken Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika regular paprika works as a substitute
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
Chicken Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 00 flour if available (double zero flour is ultra-fine)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I use Louisiana
- 1 cup whole milk buttermilk can be substituted but it makes the crunch a little softer
- 2 large egg whites egg yolks soften breading
- 2 tablespoons vodka this adds extra crisp to the breading
Hot Honey
- 1 cup honey
- 2 jalapenos thinly sliced
- 1 red chili pepper thinly sliced
Instructions
Prep and dry brine
- Place the prepared chicken breasts on a lined baking sheet or cutting board and sprinkle front and back sides with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, dividing among the chicken. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight). Prepare chicken coating while you wait.
- In a large bowl, combine the paprika, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder. Use about half of the spice mixture and sprinkle directly onto the chicken pieces, patting into the chicken as you go.
Chicken Coating
- Add the flour and cornstarch to the remaining spice mixture in the bowl and whisk well to combine. In a separate medium bowl, place the buttermilk, egg whites, hot sauce, and alcohol and whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Take 1/4 cup of the wet mixture and add it to the dry mixture, stir to combine. This helps create chunks of breading that stick to your chicken ("crags"). Use one hand for the wet mixture and one hand for the dry, take 1 piece of chicken at a time, toss in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, dip chicken in the milk mixture to completely coat, then bury it back in the flour mixture, bringing the excess drippy wet mixture back into the dry. Tightly pack on the breading, pressing it on with your fingers. Shake off excess flour and repeat with remaining chicken.
Set up for frying and heat the oil
- Place the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep, heavy-bottom pan, attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is 350°F, about 10 minutes. The oil will drop to 325°F once chicken is added. This is the optimal fry temperature range 325-350.
- Prepare a landing station for the chicken to cool once it's done cooking. I like to use a baking sheet lined with paper towels or foil and a cooling rack placed on top. Don't set chicken directly on paper towels as it traps in the moisture and creates sogginess.
Frying the Chicken
- Working in batches, place 2-3 chicken pieces at a time in the oil and fry, using tongs to rotate the pieces every 3 to 4 minutes and adjusting the heat as needed to keep heat around 325°F-350°F, until golden-brown with an internal temperature of 165°F (check by inserting a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken). About 8 minutes for chicken breasts. Place onto cooling rack. For extra crispy chicken, once chicken is removed from oil, allow to rest for a moment on the cooling rack, then place back into the oil for 1-2 minutes. This double fry method with create extra crisp chicken.
Hot Honey (make ahead)
- In a small saucepan, add the honey and sliced peppers (seeds included). Turn heat to medium low until it begins to lightly boil. Reduce heat to simmer and keep on a low boil for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then transfer to an bottle, mason jar, or similar container.