Crispy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy. The Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich topped with coleslaw and drizzled with homemade ranch is a classic combination you'll want to remake over and over again.

Looking for more sandwich recipes? Try ourGruyere Grilled Cheese, Crispy Fish Sliders, or our Italian Breakfast SandwichwithThe Best Crispy Hash Browns.

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Deep Frying in a Pot

When you don't have a deep fryer at home, you can deep fry food in a large dutch oven or pot. But there are some things to be aware of because it can be very dangerous and it's easy to start a fire.

Deep pot. Always use the deepest pot you have, When you place chicken or anything into the oil it will froth and can boil over.
Gas stove. If you're using a gas stove, be extra careful. If the oil spills over onto an open flame, it will ignite.
Go slow. Add one piece of food at a time to make sure the oil won't overflow.
Overcrowd. Fry in batches. As you add more cold or room-temperature foods to the pot, the temperature of the oil will lower. Try to keep the temperature of the oil between 325-365 degrees F.
Thick Pot. I use my dutch oven to fry because it is so thick and won't lose as much heat as a cheaper pot.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Batter. Buttermilk, hot sauce, and pickle juice make up the batter. You can substitute low-fat buttermilk. I have, and it works just fine.
Pankobreadcrumbs. Use panko because the nice, thick breadcrumbs will have the best crunch and texture in the final product.
Vegetable Oil. Look, deep frying is not exactly "healthy". So you can complain about the oil, but this is typically what we use when we very occasionally deep fry chicken. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Or just substitute the oil for an air fryer and make Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Coleslaw. You can buy already-made coleslaw to cut out a step. I like my coleslaw to be cold, so I make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.
Buttermilk Ranch. I like to get the most out of the ingredients I buy. I don't often buy buttermilk, so when I do, I try to make some homemade ranch. When making this ranch, it's important to keep in mind that the garlic will become more pungent the longer it has been in there.

*Please see more information about ingredients below in the recipe card.

How to Make a Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

This recipe is best when you marinate the chicken for at least 12 hours before cooking. So the first three steps should be done the day before or in the morning.

Step 1: Marinate. Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl and combine well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2:Make the cole slaw. Combine the mayo, sour cream, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then add in the coleslaw and combine. Cover and store in the fridge.

Step 3: Make the ranch. Combine the sour cream, buttermilk, and may together. Then stir in the garlic, chives, dill, salt, and pepper. Finally, stir in the lemon juice. Cover and store in the fridge.

Step 4: Combine the garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the breadcrumb mixture on one plate and the flour on another plate and mix each with half of your seasoning mix. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk batter and dredge in the flour. Dip the chicken back in the batter and then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Step 5: Bring your deep fryer oil to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken in the deep fryer or Dutch oven in batches. The temperature of the oil will drop more depending on how many pieces you put in. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes or until it reaches 165 degrees F.

Step 6: Combine honey, hot sauce, and butter over low heat.

Step 7: Once the chicken has cooled for about 3 minutes, toss the chicken in the sauce or drizzle on top.

Step 8: On a brioche bun, add the coleslaw and the chicken. Top with ranch and serve!

Want to switch it up? Another option is to top this hot honey chicken sandwich with our Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressingor Avocado Lime Crema

If you love spice, try our Dutch Oven Barbacoa Tacos!

Pro-Tips

If you never worked with a deep fryer, you have to be very careful when adding chicken into the fryer, especially if you're using a pot instead of a deep fryer. Carefully lower the thighs into the oil 1 at a time. If the bubbling is getting close to the top of the pot, don't add another thigh.
Don't add so many thighs that the temperature of your oil drops too low. Then the chicken won't cook. Try to keep the oil above 300 F at all times.
If you store the ranch in the refrigerator overnight, the garlic flavor will increase in intensity.
Marinate the chicken thighs overnight. We're aiming for the 12-24 hour range for the tastiest hot honey chicken sandwich.

What to serve on the side

When I serve a hot honey chicken sandwich of this magnitude, I like to go pretty light on the side.

Vegetables. Serve some Italian Green Bean Salador Lacinato Kale (Tuscan).
Keep it Southern. If you're already making a fried chicken sandwich, you might as well keep it southern with some Fried Green Tomatoes, Cajun Shrimp Scampi, or Zucchini Fritters.
Salad. Another easy option is to serve a simple salad with a dressing like Traditional Caesar Dressing, Cilantro Mango Vinaigrette, or Lemon Basil Vinaigrette.
Pasta. What is a fried chicken sandwich without Italian Mac and Cheeseor Italian Pasta Salad.

Recipe FAQs

Can you fry chicken with canola oil?

Yes. I would suggest using vegetable, canola, or peanut oil because when you're using the amount of oil you need to keep it relatively cheap. Technically, you can use whatever oil you want at this temperature, whether it's olive oil or avocado oil.

What toppings are good on a chicken sandwich?

I would love pickles, coleslaw, ranch, honey mustard, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, or anything pickled.