There is something utterly magnificent about the combination of fluffy, warm biscuits and golden, crunchy fried chicken. It’s a pairing that feels both indulgent and deeply comforting. But when you introduce a slick of sweet, fiery hot honey, the entire experience is elevated into something truly special. The honey clings to every craggy crevice of the crispy chicken coating, its gentle warmth building with each bite, perfectly balanced by the rich, buttery biscuit. It’s a symphony of textures and tastes that we return to again and again in our kitchen.

This recipe for Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits is the result of much happy experimentation. We’ve refined the biscuit recipe to ensure it’s light and flaky, the chicken coating to guarantee maximum crunch, and the hot honey to strike just the right balance between sweet and spicy. This is my go-to recipe when I need something that feels a bit celebratory for a weekend brunch but comes together without a fuss. It’s the kind of meal that silences the table for a few moments, followed by murmurs of pure satisfaction.

It’s an ideal dish for a lazy Sunday morning, a casual dinner with friends, or whenever you feel you deserve a proper treat. Everyone seems to love this one; the contrast of the soft, yielding biscuit against the sharp crunch of the chicken is just irresistible. And while it might look impressive, the process is straightforward, breaking down into a few manageable stages that any home cook can master.

Recipe Overview

This recipe guides you through creating the ultimate Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits from scratch. You’ll learn how to make tender, flaky buttermilk biscuits, perfectly seasoned and crispy fried chicken, and a simple two-ingredient hot honey that brings it all together. The flavour profile is a delightful interplay of savoury, sweet, and spicy. After a few tries, I found that letting the chicken rest for 15 minutes after dredging is the secret to ensuring the coating sticks firmly during frying, creating that wonderfully rugged crust.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 4 people (makes 8 biscuits)
• Difficulty: Medium

Why You’ll Love This Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits

• A Genuine Flavour Journey: This isn’t just about heat. The savoury herbs in the chicken coating, the tangy buttermilk in the tender biscuits, and the floral sweetness of the honey create a layered and balanced taste. The chilli provides a pleasant, warming heat rather than a searing one.
• Ready in Under an Hour: From gathering your ingredients to plating up, the entire meal comes together in about 45 minutes, making it achievable even on a busy day.
• A Truly Flexible Recipe: You can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chilli flakes to your honey. For a smokier profile, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the flour mixture. Don’t have buttermilk? A squeeze of lemon in regular milk works in a pinch.
• Great for Casual Gatherings: This dish works beautifully for a relaxed brunch with friends or as a standout main for a casual dinner. It feels special without being formal. If you’re planning a bigger breakfast spread, these would be fantastic alongside our Easy Sheet Pan Pancakes.
• Family Tested and Approved: I make this at least once a month – it’s become a family favourite. The kids love the crispy chicken, and my wife and I appreciate the kick from the hot honey. It always gets compliments.

Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits

⏱️ 25 min prep  •  🍳 25 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, use good quality ingredients. I find that using a full-fat buttermilk gives the biscuits a superior flavour and texture. When it comes to the honey, a clear, runny variety works best for a smooth, drizzly sauce. I often use Rowse Runny Honey as it’s consistently good.

• For the Buttermilk Biscuits:
• 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 115g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 180ml cold buttermilk
• For the Crispy Chicken:
• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 450g total), sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets
• 120ml buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 150g plain flour
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying (about 750ml)
• For the Hot Honey:
• 120ml runny honey
• 1-2 tsp red chilli flakes (adjust to your heat preference)

Marcus’s Tip: Keep your butter and buttermilk for the biscuits as cold as possible, right up until you use them. Cold fat creates steam pockets as the biscuits bake, which is the key to achieving those light, flaky layers.

How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits

We’ll tackle this in three parts: making the biscuits, frying the chicken, and whipping up the quick hot honey. Working in this order ensures everything is warm and ready to assemble at the same time.

1. Prepare the Biscuit Dough: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the 300g flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining.
2. Form and Cut the Biscuits: Pour in the cold buttermilk and use a fork to gently mix until a shaggy dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands. Pat it out to about 2cm (¾ inch) thickness. Using a 7cm round cutter, cut out 8 biscuits, re-patting the scraps as needed. Place them on the prepared baking tray.
3. Bake the Biscuits: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and are a beautiful golden brown on top. Set them aside while you prepare the chicken.
4. Set Up the Chicken Dredging Station: While the biscuits bake, prepare the chicken. In a shallow dish, whisk together the 120ml buttermilk and the egg. In a second shallow dish, combine the 150g flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Coat the Chicken: Take one chicken cutlet and dip it into the buttermilk-egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Then, press it firmly into the flour mixture on all sides. For an extra crispy coating, dip it back into the buttermilk mixture and then back into the flour again. I find this double-dredge method makes a huge difference. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining pieces. Let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Fry the Chicken: Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan to a depth of about 2cm. Heat over a medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F). What works best for me is using a food thermometer for accuracy, but you can test it by dropping a small piece of dough in – it should sizzle immediately. Carefully place two chicken cutlets into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
7. Cook Until Golden: Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the coating is a deep golden brown, crisp, and the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 74°C. Remove the cooked chicken with tongs and place it on a clean wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
8. Make the Hot Honey: While the last batch of chicken is frying, make the hot honey. In a small saucepan, gently warm the runny honey and chilli flakes over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, just until it’s warm and fragrant. Do not let it boil.
9. Assemble and Serve: To assemble, slice a warm biscuit in half. Place a piece of crispy fried chicken on the bottom half, drizzle generously with the hot honey, and place the top of the biscuit on. Serve immediately.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control is Key: Maintaining an oil temperature of around 175°C is crucial. If the oil is too cool, the chicken will absorb it and become greasy. If it’s too hot, the coating will burn before the chicken is cooked. Use a thermometer if you have one! This principle of frying science is what separates good fried chicken from great fried chicken.
• The Secret Step for Flaky Biscuits: When you pat out the biscuit dough, fold it over on itself 2-3 times (like a letter). This lamination technique creates extra flaky layers. Just be gentle and don’t overwork the dough.
• Make-Ahead Advice: You can prepare the biscuit dough, cut it into rounds, and store them in the fridge on a covered tray for up to 24 hours. The hot honey can also be made days in advance and stored in a jar at room temperature. Just warm it slightly before serving.
• Storage for Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, it’s best to store the components separately in airtight containers in the fridge. The chicken and biscuits will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in an oven or air fryer at 180°C to restore its crispiness.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large, heavy-bottomed frying pan
• Baking tray
• Mixing bowls (large and shallow)
• 7cm round pastry cutter
• Wire rack
• Tongs
• Small saucepan

What to Serve With Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits

These biscuits are a complete meal in themselves, but if you want to round them out, a few simple sides work wonderfully. The richness of the chicken and the sweetness of the honey call for something fresh and sharp to cut through it all.

• Simple Coleslaw: A crisp, vinegar-based coleslaw (rather than a creamy one) provides a fantastic acidic crunch that complements the rich chicken perfectly.
• Dill Pickles: A few slices of sharp dill pickle on the side or even inside the biscuit add a briny tang that is just divine with the hot honey.
• Drink Pairing: A cold, crisp lager or a pale ale works beautifully here, as does a sharply refreshing homemade lemonade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits

Flaky, homemade buttermilk biscuits filled with extra-crispy fried chicken and drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey. A truly satisfying Southern-inspired comfort food sandwich.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 780

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Buttermilk Biscuits

• 300 g plain flour plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 115 g cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
• 180 ml cold buttermilk

For the Crispy Chicken

• 2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 450g total), sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets
• 120 ml buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 150 g plain flour
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying (about 750ml)

For the Hot Honey

• 120 ml runny honey
• 1-2 tsp red chilli flakes adjust to your heat preference

Method

 

1. Prepare the Biscuit Dough: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the 300g flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized lumps of butter remaining.
2. Form and Cut the Biscuits: Pour in the cold buttermilk and use a fork to gently mix until a shaggy dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together with your hands. Pat it out to about 2cm (¾ inch) thickness. Using a 7cm round cutter, cut out 8 biscuits, re-patting the scraps as needed. Place them on the prepared baking tray.
3. Bake the Biscuits: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen and are a beautiful golden brown on top. Set them aside while you prepare the chicken.
4. Set Up the Chicken Dredging Station: While the biscuits bake, prepare the chicken. In a shallow dish, whisk together the 120ml buttermilk and the egg. In a second shallow dish, combine the 150g flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Coat the Chicken: Take one chicken cutlet and dip it into the buttermilk-egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Then, press it firmly into the flour mixture on all sides. For an extra crispy coating, dip it back into the buttermilk mixture and then back into the flour again. I find this double-dredge method makes a huge difference. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining pieces. Let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Fry the Chicken: Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan to a depth of about 2cm. Heat over a medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F). What works best for me is using a food thermometer for accuracy, but you can test it by dropping a small piece of dough in – it should sizzle immediately. Carefully place two chicken cutlets into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
7. Cook Until Golden: Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the coating is a deep golden brown, crisp, and the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 74°C. Remove the cooked chicken with tongs and place it on a clean wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
8. Make the Hot Honey: While the last batch of chicken is frying, make the hot honey. In a small saucepan, gently warm the runny honey and chilli flakes over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, just until it's warm and fragrant. Do not let it boil.
9. Assemble and Serve: To assemble, slice a warm biscuit in half. Place a piece of crispy fried chicken on the bottom half, drizzle generously with the hot honey, and place the top of the biscuit on. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the crispiest chicken, don't skip the double-dredge method. Serve immediately for the best texture. Leftovers can be stored separately and reheated in an oven or air fryer.

I really hope you give these Hot Honey Chicken Biscuits a try. They are a true labour of love in my kitchen and something that brings a lot of joy to our table. The combination of textures and flavours is just so satisfying. If you do make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. Please leave a comment below and let me know! Happy cooking, Marcus.