This air fryer hot honey chicken is simple to make but full of flavour, with tender chicken thigh pieces in a sticky glaze with just the right balance of sweetness and heat.
It's perfect for busy days when you want something quick, easy and really satisfying. Serve it your favourite veggies, rice, fries, salad or tucked into wraps for a meal that feels a little bit special without too much effort.
Calories in Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken
This recipe serves 4 and is 243 calories per serving.
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 500+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe because they stay tender and juicy, and work really well with the sweet and spicy hot honey glaze.
- Seasonings: A simple mix of paprika, coarse sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder adds plenty of flavour to the chicken and helps create a really tasty coating.
- Hot honey: This brings the sweet and spicy flavour that makes the dish so delicious, coating the chicken in a sticky glaze with just the right kick.
- Olive oil spray: Used to lightly coat the chicken so it cooks up nicely in the air fryer and gets a little colour on the outside.
- Spring onions: These add a fresh pop of colour and flavour at the end, which works really well with the hot honey chicken.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
This recipe is easy to adapt with a few simple swaps. Chicken breast can be used instead of chicken thighs if you prefer, and pork pieces work well too, although both may need slightly less cooking time. I do find chicken thighs give the best result, as they stay more tender and juicy in the air fryer.
If you can't find hot honey where you live, it's really easy to make a quick version yourself. Just mix some runny honey with a little hot sauce, chilli flakes or a pinch of cayenne, then adjust to your preferred level of heat.
You can also change up the seasoning a little if you like. Smoked paprika works well for a slightly deeper flavour, and you could add a pinch of chilli powder if you want even more heat.
Tips for Air Frying Chicken
A few simple tips will help you get the best result with this air fryer hot honey chicken.
- Use parchment, a foil tray or the basket only
I like to use a sheet of parchment as it helps keep the juices around the chicken, which adds extra flavour and helps stop it from sticking. A small foil tray that fits in the basket works well too, or you can remove the crisper tray and cook the chicken directly in the basket instead. Whichever method you use, just make sure the chicken keeps everything weighed down and in place as it cooks. - Keep the chicken in an even layer
Try to spread the chicken out in a single even layer so it cooks evenly and gets a better finish. If the pieces are too crowded, they will steam more than air fry. - Cook in batches if needed
If your basket is too small for all the chicken, it's better to cook it in batches rather than overcrowd the air fryer. - Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces
Keeping the pieces roughly the same size helps them cook at the same rate, so everything is ready at the same time.
Side Suggestions
I served this with roasted cauliflower and butternut squash, which I cooked on a tray with a simple mix of seasonings, along with some baby greens and sweetcorn. It made a really delicious balance with the sticky hot honey chicken and added plenty of colour and texture to the plate.
This chicken is really versatile though, so it works well with lots of different sides. Rice, roasted potatoes, sweet potato wedges or fries are all great options, and it also pairs well with roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, green beans, broccoli, salad or coleslaw. You could also serve it in wraps, bowls or with a simple crunchy side salad for something lighter.
Cooking on the Stove Top
Don't have an air fryer and want to try this recipe? No problem, you can make it on the stovetop instead. First toss the chicken pieces with the seasonings, then heat a frying pan over a medium high heat and spray with a little olive oil spray. Add the chicken in an even layer and fry for a few minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly golden on the outside.
Once the chicken is cooked, drizzle in the hot honey and toss everything together so the chicken is nicely coated. Let it bubble for a minute or two until sticky and glossy, then remove from the heat and serve.
More Air Fryer Recipes
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Recipe Card
Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken
This air fryer hot honey chicken is quick, easy and packed with flavour, with tender pieces of chicken coated in a sticky sweet and spicy glaze.
Ingredients
- 600g (21oz) of boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed or visible fat and sliced into bite size pieces
- 2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of course sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoons of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- 3 tablespoons of hot honey
- olive oil spray
- 2 spring onions, sliced
Instructions
- Add the chicken pieces to a bowl with the paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder, spray with olive oil spray and toss to coat.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment and spread out the chicken in a even layer, cook at 390f for 8 minutes, slip over afteer 6 minutes.
- Drizzle with the hot honey and toss to coat. Air fry for a further 6-8 minutes until golden and cooked through
- Sprinkle with the spring onions and serve with your favourite sides and enjoy
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
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- Gluten and Dairy Free Friendly
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 243Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 181mgSodium 555mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 1gSugar 12gProtein 30g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
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