Honey Glazed Chicken Sandwich
Buttermilk marinated chicken thighs, double-dredged for a proper crunch, fried until golden and tossed in a honey butter glaze while still hot. Piled onto a toasted bun with tangy coleslaw and pickles, this is a genuinely better version of the drive-thru favourite.
The double dredge — flour, back into the marinade, flour again — is what gives the coating that extra shatter. Frying at a steady 170°C and checking for 74°C internal temperature rather than just watching the clock is what gets it cooked through without drying out, especially on the thicker double-coated pieces.
Keep the chicken, coleslaw and buns separate through the week and build the sandwich fresh — the crispy coating doesn’t hold up to sitting assembled, or to the freezer.
Honey Glazed Chicken Sandwich
CHICKEN · SANDWICH · MEDIUM
Shatter-crisp coating, sticky honey glaze
Double-dredging the chicken — flour, back into the buttermilk, flour again — builds a coating with real texture, the kind that holds up under the honey butter glaze instead of going soft the second it hits.
Frying at a controlled 170°C and pulling the chicken at 74°C internal temperature means it's properly cooked through without drying out, even on the thicker double-coated pieces that take a little longer.
Pouring the glaze on while the chicken's still hot from the fryer lets it melt into the crust rather than just sitting on top, so every bite gets that sticky honey finish.
Honey Glazed Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 4 Chicken Thighs Boneless & Skinless
- 250 ml Buttermilk
- 8 g Onion Powder
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 0.5 g Cayenne Pepper
- Salt & Pepper
Dredge
- 120 g Plain Flour All Purpose
- 60 g Cornflour Cornstarch
- 4 g Onion Powder
- 4 g Garlic Powder
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- Salt & Pepper
Frying
- 1.5 litres Neutral Oil or Tallow
Honey Butter Glaze
- 42 g Unsalted Butter
- 28 g Honey
- 1 g Dried Chilli Flakes Optional
- Salt to Taste
Coleslaw
- ¼ Green or Red (Purple) Cabbage Shredded
- ½ Red Onion Sliced
- 1 Carrot Grated
- 40 g Mayonnaise
- 5 ml Apple Cider Vinegar
- 10 g Dijon Mustard
- Salt & Pepper
Bread & Fillings
- 4 Buns of Choice
- Sauce of Choice
- Dill Pickle Slices Optional
Method
- Add the chicken and marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes up to 48 hours.
- In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour, cornflour, and spices. Pull the chicken out of the fridge and dredge it in the flour until well coated. You can double-coat if you want that extra crunch — place it back into the marinade after the first dredge and repeat.
- Heat 1.5 litres (6⅓ cups) of neutral oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 170°C (340°F). Fry the chicken until golden and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F), roughly 6–8 minutes. Remove and drain on a wire rack over a baking tray.
- Mix the honey butter glaze ingredients in a bowl, pour over the fried chicken while it's still hot, and toss to coat.
- For the coleslaw, mix the cabbage, carrot, and onion. In a separate bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Add the sauce to the vegetables, mix well, and season to taste.
- Toast your buns, spread with a sauce or mayonnaise of choice, and add the chicken, slaw, and pickles (optional). Close the lid and dig in.
What does double-dredging actually do?⌄
Dipping the chicken back into the marinade after the first coat of flour and dredging it again builds up extra craggy bits of coating, which fry up much crunchier than a single thin layer. It's optional, but it's the difference between a good crust and a great one.
Can I bake or air fry the chicken instead of deep frying?⌄
You can, though the coating won't get quite as crisp as deep frying. An air fryer at 200°C for around 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway, gets you the closest result — just check the chicken hits 74°C (165°F) internally before serving.
Why isn't my honey butter glaze coming together smoothly?⌄
The butter needs to be melted before it's whisked with the honey — cold butter won't combine into a glaze you can pour. Melt it gently in a small saucepan or the microwave first, then stir in the honey and chilli flakes.
Can I make any of this ahead of time?⌄
The coleslaw can be made up to 3 days ahead and keeps well in the fridge. The chicken is best fried fresh, or at least reheated in the oven or air fryer rather than the microwave, so the coating stays crisp.
