Crispy Chicken Breasts with Spicy Honey
This recipe delivers exceptionally crispy chicken breasts through a unique two-stage dredging method, first in a seasoned cornstarch mixture and then a light beer-vodka batter. The chicken is deep-fried until golden brown, then generously drizzled with a homemade spicy honey sauce. It's a flavorful, satisfying dish, perfect for a weeknight meal or entertaining.
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven Essential for deep frying to maintain consistent oil temperature.
- 1 Deep-Fry Thermometer Crucial for precise oil temperature control at 375°F.
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls One for the dry dredge, one for the wet batter.
- 1 Whisk For smoothly combining batter ingredients and the spicy honey.
- 1 Slotted Spoon or Spider For safely adding and removing chicken from hot oil.
Ingredients
Main
- 4 cups vegetable oil canola oil, peanut oil or duck fat, for frying
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon your favorite seasonings like smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts each about 6 ounces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1/4 cup pilsner
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup Sriracha or 1/2 cup thinly sliced various chiles such as jalapeno, fresno and serrano peppers
Instructions
- For the chicken: Place a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add your frying oil and heat to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl or a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, mix together the cornstarch, baking powder, salt and your favorite seasonings. Add your chicken pieces to the flour mixture. Coat the chicken well, but be sure to shake off any excess flour. At this point the chicken can be battered immediately, or it can sit, refrigerated, for 2 hours or overnight, coated in the dry dredge.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together all of the dry batter ingredients, then add all of the wet ingredients, stirring to smooth out any lumps.
- Dredge the cornstarch-coated cutlets in the batter, letting any excess drip off and lay them in the oil. Add a few pieces at a time so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop, and fry until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined tray.
- For the spicy honey: Whisk together the honey and Sriracha or chiles in a bowl. If using chiles, allow the heat to infuse for at least 30 minutes.
- To serve, drizzle the chicken with your Spicy Honey and serve with any extra Spicy Honey on the side.
Notes
Maintaining the frying oil at a consistent 375°F is critical; too low results in greasy chicken, too high burns the exterior before the inside cooks. Fry chicken in small batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping significantly, which ensures uniform crispness. Shaking off excess dry dredge is important for a thin, even, and super crispy coating. The optional refrigeration of the dredged chicken overnight allows the coating to adhere more effectively. For the spicy honey, if using fresh chiles, letting them infuse for at least 30 minutes, or even longer, will deepen the heat and flavor considerably.