Honey butter didn't start with chicken in Korea. It started with a bag of potato chips that sold out so fast people were reselling it online for triple the price. Eventually someone asked the obvious question: if honey butter works on a chip, what happens if you put it on fried chicken?
That crossover turned out to be one of the better ideas to come out of Korean snack culture, and it holds up just as well made in a home kitchen as it does from a late night delivery order.
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| That glaze isn't sauce sitting on top, it's baked right into the crust. |
Plan for about 45 minutes total, enough to serve three to four people, and a two stage fry that's easier than it sounds.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken wings or boneless thigh pieces, cut into bite sized chunks
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk, or regular milk with a splash of vinegar
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds or peanuts, for topping
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| The glaze only needs four ingredients once the chicken is fried. |
How to Make It
- Soak the chicken pieces in buttermilk for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Remove each chicken piece from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then press firmly into the flour mixture to coat.
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| A textured, uneven coating is what turns craggy once it fries. |
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 325°F.
- Fry the chicken in batches for 6 to 7 minutes until pale golden and just cooked through, then remove to a wire rack.
- Raise the oil temperature to 375°F, then fry the chicken a second time for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and audibly crisp when tapped.
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| That second dip in oil is what makes the crust last. |
- While the chicken drains, melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, and brown sugar until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a large bowl, pour the honey butter glaze over it, and toss until every piece is coated, then scatter the chopped almonds on top.
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| Every piece gets its own coat before it hits the table. |
The Korean Insider Tip
The glaze temperature matters more than most home cooks assume. It needs to be warm and pourable, not hot enough to steam the crispy coating on contact. Pouring a glaze that's still bubbling straight from the pan softens the crust almost instantly, while letting it cool for even a minute or two off the heat keeps that crackle intact while the flavor still soaks in.
Why This Recipe Works
- The buttermilk soak tenderizes the chicken and helps the flour coating cling more evenly once it hits the oil.
- Frying twice at two different temperatures cooks the chicken through gently first, then builds a shatter crisp crust on the second, hotter fry.
- Balancing honey with soy sauce keeps the glaze from tasting purely sweet, giving it the salty backbone that makes it addictive rather than cloying.
A soggy glaze usually comes down to timing, not the recipe itself. Tossing the chicken in glaze the moment it comes out of the fryer, before it's had even thirty seconds to rest, traps steam under the coating and softens it almost immediately.
Skipping the second fry is tempting when you're hungry and the chicken already looks done, but that first fry alone leaves a coating that's cooked through yet still a little soft. The second, hotter fry is what actually creates the crackling texture the dish is known for.
Reducing the glaze too far on the stove turns it thick and almost like caramel, which then hardens into a sticky shell rather than clinging as a glossy coating. Pulling it off the heat as soon as it's smooth and slightly thickened, rather than letting it reduce further, keeps it at the right consistency.
Crowding the frying pot drops the oil temperature fast, and chicken fried in an overcrowded pot absorbs more oil and turns greasy instead of crisp. Frying in smaller batches, even if it takes a bit longer, protects that final texture.
Plating Like a Local
Korean fried chicken spots pile the glazed pieces high in a shallow bowl or basket rather than spreading them flat, letting the glaze pool slightly at the bottom where the last few pieces sit. A scatter of chopped almonds or peanuts over the top right before serving adds both crunch and a bit of visual contrast against the glossy amber glaze. Serving it straight from that bowl, still warm, keeps the presentation close to what you'd get from a Korean chicken restaurant.
How to Serve and Variations
Honey butter fried chicken pairs well with pickled radish cubes on the side, which cut through the richness of the glaze the same way they do with any Korean fried chicken. Boneless chicken breast can replace the wings or thighs for a version that's easier to eat with chopsticks. For extra heat, a spoonful of gochujang stirred into the glaze turns it into a sweet and spicy version without changing the base technique.
What makes Korean honey butter chicken different from regular fried chicken?
The glaze is the main difference. After frying, the chicken gets tossed in a warm honey butter sauce with soy sauce and brown sugar, giving it a sweet and salty flavor that regular fried chicken doesn't have.
Why do you fry the chicken twice?
The first fry cooks the chicken through at a lower temperature, and the second fry at a higher temperature crisps the coating without overcooking the meat inside. Skipping the second fry usually results in a softer, less crisp crust.
Can I make the honey butter glaze less sweet?
Yes, reducing the honey by a tablespoon and adding an extra teaspoon of soy sauce shifts the balance toward savory without losing the glaze's texture.
What kind of chicken works best for this recipe?
Wings and boneless thigh pieces both work well since they stay juicy through the double fry. Chicken breast can be used too, but it dries out more easily if fried too long.
How do I keep the coating crispy after adding the glaze?
Let the glaze cool slightly before tossing it with the chicken, and serve the chicken soon after glazing rather than letting it sit, since the coating naturally softens over time once it's coated.
The chip version might have started the trend, but once that glaze hits still warm fried chicken, it's easy to see why the chicken version is the one that stuck around.
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