Philly's Phavorites- Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Sliders

There’s a Dave’s Hot Chicken about fifteen minutes from us, and for the better part of this year, that’s been Philip’s answer to “what do you want for dinner” more nights than we can count. Not once, not twice, but basically every week — the sandwich, the tender, the hot honey dripping everywhere. So when we sat down to plan the Phavorites series — cooking Philip every single favorite before he packs up and leaves for college — this one wasn’t optional. It was first on the list.

We could have just driven him there one more time. Instead, we spent an afternoon figuring out how to make it better, at home, exactly the way he likes it — extra crispy, extra hot honey, no skimping.

The chicken went into a milk-and-pickle-juice marinade, then a seasoned flour dredge, then back into the marinade and through the flour a second time — that double dredge is the whole secret, it’s what gives the crust those craggy, extra-crispy edges Dave’s is famous for. Fried until golden, then dragged through a sticky-sweet hot honey BBQ glaze and piled onto soft, toasted slider buns with pickles and a side of ranch for dipping.

Philip ate four of them standing at the counter before he even sat down. Four. He didn’t say much, which for him is basically a five-star review.

So this one’s for anyone else with a kid about to head out the door — make their favorite before they go, even the drive-thru one. Especially the drive-thru one! Let us know if your house has a Dave’s order too!

Serves 8 • Prep 25 minutes (plus at least 1 hour marinating) • Cook 25 minutes

Chicken & Marinade

• 4 pounds chicken breast, sliced

• 3 cups milk or buttermilk

• 3 cups pickle juice

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon each: salt, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, curry powder, chili powder

• 2¼ teaspoons black pepper

Coating

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• Same seasonings as the marinade (1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon each, plus 2¼ teaspoons black pepper)

For Frying & Serving

• Neutral oil, for frying

• 16 slider buns, split and toasted

• Pickle chips and your favorite ranch, for serving (optional)

Hot Honey BBQ Glaze

• ¾ cup BBQ sauce

• ½ cup honey

• 2–3 tablespoons cayenne pepper hot sauce (optional, to taste)

• Splash of water, to thin

• Pinch of the seasoning mix

1. Marinate the chicken in the milk, pickle juice, and seasonings for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Mix the flour with the same seasonings. Dredge the chicken, dip it back in the marinade, then dredge again for extra crispiness.

3. Fry in 350–355°F oil for 4–6 minutes, until golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain on a rack.

4. In a saucepan, heat the BBQ sauce, honey, hot sauce, a splash of water, and a pinch of the seasoning mix until glossy. Toss the fried chicken in the glaze.

5. Pile the glazed chicken onto toasted slider buns, top with pickles, and serve with ranch for dipping.

• The double dredge (flour, marinade, flour again) is what builds those craggy, extra-crispy edges — don’t skip the second pass.

• Glaze right before serving so the crust stays crunchy.