Hot Honey Chicken Nuggets
Servings
4-6
servingsTotal time
1
hour10
minutesIngredients
ranch, or dipping sauce of your choice
- Buttermilk Brine
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 tbsp salt
- Dredge
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cayenne
- Hot Honey Sauce
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp brown sugar
Directions
- To make the buttermilk brine, in a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt. Add in the cubed chicken thighs, then cover and let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, in another large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dredge and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk brine. Working in sections, transfer the cubed chicken thighs from the brine to the dredge and coat thoroughly. Set aside in a container until all the chicken is coated.
- Heat oil in a pot to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once all the chicken has been fried, increase the oil temperature to 375°F and fry again for 1–2 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Return to the rack to drain excess oil.
- To make the sauce, add the hot sauce and honey to a small saucepan and place it over a medium-low heat. After 1-2 minutes, slowly add in the butter and whisk well. Finally, sprinkle in the seasonings, and let simmer until slightly thickened.
- Place the fried chicken in a clean bowl, drizzle with the hot honey sauce, and toss until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.