Honey Chicken Biscuits with Hot Honey Recipe

Ingredients

• 680–907 gchicken tenders, or 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into 2.5 cm-thick strips
• 188 gplain flour
• 1 tspkosher salt
• ¼ tspblack pepper
• ¼ tspgarlic powder
• ¼ tspsmoked paprika
• 1 large egg + 30 ml wateregg and water, beaten together
• as neededvegetable, rapeseed or peanut oil, for frying
• 250 gplain flour, for dredging
• 250 gplain flour
• 1 tbspbaking powder
• 1 tspkosher salt
• ¼ tspbicarbonate of soda
• 113 g (1 stick)cold butter
• 180 mlbuttermilk
• 57 gunsalted butter, melted, for brushing
• 340 ghoney
• 2 tspcrushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbspcider vinegar

Instructions

1. 1

   Make hot honey

   Put the honey, crushed red pepper flakes and cider vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until infused and slightly thinner. Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.

2. 2

   Mix biscuit dough

   Heat the oven to 220°C. Whisk 250 g flour with the baking powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk just until combined; do not overmix.

3. 3

   Shape and bake

   Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it gently a few times to bring it together. Pat or roll it to about 2.5 cm thick, then cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter or glass. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

4. 4

   Coat the chicken

   In a shallow dish, combine 188 g flour with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Beat the egg with the water in a separate dish. Coat the chicken strips in the seasoned flour, dip them in the egg mixture, then coat them again in the remaining 250 g flour.

5. 5

   Fry the chicken

   Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or heavy-based pan to 175°C. Fry the chicken in batches, without crowding the pan, turning occasionally, for about 5–7 minutes per batch. Cook until golden brown and the thickest part reaches 74°C, then drain on kitchen paper.

6. 6

   Fill the biscuits

   Split each biscuit horizontally. Put 1–2 pieces of fried chicken inside each one and drizzle generously with the prepared hot honey.

7. 7

   Serve while warm

   Serve the biscuits straight away while warm.

What are chicken biscuits?

Biscuits are tender, flaky quick breads familiar in Southern American cooking, where they are often served alongside savoury dishes. This version turns them into a handheld meal by filling them with crisp fried chicken.

The sweet heat of the honey sauce contrasts with the savoury coating and buttery biscuit. Making the biscuits from scratch gives them a soft centre that works well with the crunchy chicken.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 800 calories, 38g protein, 92g carbs, 33g fat.

The biscuits and flour coating provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and frying oil contribute much of the fat. Chicken supplies most of the protein, with additional energy from the honey. Balance a biscuit with a fresh salad or vegetables on the side.

The flour coatings

Seasoned flour: the first coating adds salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika directly to the chicken’s crust.

Second dredge: dipping the floured chicken in egg and then plain flour builds a thicker, crispier coating. Shake off excess flour so it adheres rather than clumping.

Keep the biscuit dough light

Cold butter: work it into the flour until you have coarse crumbs, leaving small pieces rather than blending it completely. Those pieces help create a flaky texture as the biscuits bake.

Buttermilk: stir it in only until the dough comes together. Too much mixing can make the biscuits dense, so handle the dough gently when shaping.

Frying and doneness

Oil temperature: heat the oil to 175°C before frying. Cook in batches so the temperature does not drop sharply and the chicken has room to brown.

Doneness: the coating should be golden, and the chicken should reach 74°C in its thickest part. Drain the pieces on kitchen paper before assembling.

A gentle hot honey

Low heat: warm the honey, chilli flakes and cider vinegar gently for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. This gives the flavours time to infuse without boiling the honey.

Adjust the drizzle: use less sauce if you prefer milder biscuits, or spoon on extra for more sweetness and heat. The chilli flakes can settle, so stir the sauce before serving.

Serving the biscuits

Serve them warm soon after assembly, while the chicken is crisp and the biscuits are soft. A simple green salad, sliced tomatoes or fresh fruit can add a lighter, fresh contrast.

For a brunch spread, serve the hot honey on the side so everyone can choose how much to add.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure the oil temperature before each batch and let it recover between batches.
• Pat the chicken dry before coating so the flour adheres evenly.
• Use a light touch when cutting and moving the biscuit dough.
• Keep the finished chicken on a rack or kitchen paper while you fry the remaining batches.
• Stir the hot honey before drizzling so the chilli flakes are distributed.

Variations

• Milder honey: reduce the crushed red pepper flakes for a gentler sauce.
• More heat: add extra crushed red pepper flakes to the honey while it warms.
• Herb biscuits: fold a little chopped fresh chive into the dry biscuit ingredients.
• Chicken breasts: slice boneless, skinless breasts into 2.5 cm strips as an alternative to tenders.
• Smaller servings: make smaller biscuits and use one chicken piece in each.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overmixing the dough: stop stirring as soon as the buttermilk is incorporated to keep the biscuits tender.
• Warm butter: use it cold in the dough so the biscuits have a flaky texture.
• Crowded frying pan: cook in batches so the chicken browns instead of steaming.
• Oil at the wrong temperature: bring it to 175°C before adding the chicken and allow it to recover between batches.
• Skipping the temperature check: verify that the thickest part of each piece reaches 74°C.

How to store

Store leftover chicken and biscuits separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days; keep the hot honey in a sealed jar. Reheat the chicken in an oven until hot and crisp, and warm the biscuits briefly in the oven. Assemble just before serving.

Frequently asked questions