My kids ask for this Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich all the time. Crispy fried chicken, craggy and crunchy, dunked in a honey BBQ sauce thats sweet and smoky. The sauce alone is worth making the recipe. Fair warning: you'll want to put it on everything.
At our house, fried chicken sandwiches turn an ordinary weeknight into an event. I serve the crispy chicken on toasted brioche buns, and there are always lots of thank-yous at the end of the meal.
My kids would put it in the dinner lineup every single week if I let them. It's a weeknight dinner that eats like a treat, and it holds its own in the summer or a game day spread just as easily.
I'll start you with the sauce, since that's the part everyone wants the recipe for. Then we'll get into the buttermilk soak, the trick to that shaggy crust, and two ways to cook it: deep fried or air fried. Let's go.
Don’t Skip the Sauce
The honey BBQ sauce starts with a jar of your favorite BBQ sauce. I use Kinder’s. (Ironically, our favorite is hot honey. And yes, I used it as the base here.) We add honey, tomato paste, and vinegar for sweetness and balance. A splash of Worcestershire adds that savory, hard-to-place depth. And cayenne sneaks in at the end with a little warmth.
Simmer it 5 to 7 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Make a double batch. You'll want it on everything.
The Buttermilk Soak and Timing
The chicken soaks in buttermilk, hot sauce, BBQ seasoning, and salt for at least 4 hours. I tested it, and overnight is better. My super-picky kids noticed when I went short.
Make sure you pound the chicken to an even thickness before you marinate it. I made that mistake once. If it is thick in spots, you'll end up with chicken pieces that are both raw and overcooked.
What Makes the Crust So Craggy
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices together. Then take 3 tablespoons of that buttermilk marinade and add it to the flour. Fluff it with a fork.
The little wet clumps fry into shaggy bits that make the crust look and taste like something you waited in line for.
The cornstarch keeps the coating light instead of heavy. The baking powder gives you those tiny blistered bubbles.
Make sure you let the dredged chicken rest 30 minutes before it hits the oil. The coating hydrates and grabs onto the chicken. It won't slide off in the pan. Worth the wait.
Fry It or Air Fry It
Two ways to get there. Both are good.
Deep fry. Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry 5 to 7 minutes, until an instant read thermometer hits 160°F. Rest on a wire rack 5 minutes.
Air fry. Preheat to 400°F. Spray the chicken well with oil. Cook 6 minutes, flip, spray again, then cook 6 more, until it reaches 160°F. Rest 5 minutes.
Either way, use a rack for resting.. Set it over a sheet pan so air moves underneath and the bottom stays crisp. Then brush on the honey BBQ sauce right before serving.
Build the Sandwich
I recommend that you toast your buns, because toasted buns stand up to the sauce. Untoasted buns turn to mush. My bread machine brioche buns are what I reach for. My bread machine burger buns are also great here.
Then pile on something cool and crunchy. A scoop of old-fashioned coleslaw is my favorite. Or go with quick pickled onions for a sharp, tangy bite that cuts the richness.
Make It Ahead
I always marinate the chicken the night before. The sauce keeps in the fridge for a week, so you can make that ahead too. Come dinner, you're just dredging and frying.
If you like this, my honey BBQ chicken and my fried chicken sandwich are right up your alley.
Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast about 6 pieces, pounded to even thinness
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
Breading
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Honey BBQ Sauce
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cooking and Serving
- Oil for frying; brush with oil to air fry
- 6 buns toasted
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a zip-top bag or shallow baking dish. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, poultry seasoning, and salt. Pour over the chicken and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- In a shallow dish (I like a pie plate), whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, BBQ seasoning, salt, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Take 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture from the marinade and drizzle over the flour mixture. Fluff with a fork.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge in the flour mixture. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rest for 30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, combine the BBQ sauce, honey, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened.
Deep Fry
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F. Cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F. Rest on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan for 5 minutes, and then brush with the sauce.
Air Fry
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray or brush the chicken well with oil. Cook for 6 minutes, and flip. Spray again. Cook for another 6 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F. Rest on a wire rack set on top of a sheet pan for 5 minutes, and then brush with the sauce.
Serving
- Serve chicken on toasted buns with coleslaw or pickled red onions.
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