Recipe

Copycat Whataburger Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit

A golden buttermilk biscuit stuffed with crispy fried chicken and brushed with sweet-salty honey butter, inspired by the drive-thru favorite but fresher and crunchier at home.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A freshly assembled honey butter chicken biscuit on a plate, with a tall flaky buttermilk biscuit, a crispy fried chicken fillet peeking out, and glossy honey butter brushed on top, natural window light

Jump to Recipe

There are breakfast sandwiches, and then there are breakfast sandwiches that make you stop mid-bite. The Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit lives in that second category. It is sweet, salty, buttery, crunchy, and soft all at once. It is also the kind of “how is this so simple and so good” food that makes you want to immediately make another.

This copycat version keeps it doable for home kitchens. We are baking tall, flaky buttermilk biscuits, frying a crispy chicken fillet that actually stays crunchy, and brushing on a fast-food-inspired honey butter that hits that sweet-salty balance without turning the whole sandwich into dessert.

A hand brushing warm honey butter over the top of a tall flaky biscuit on a cutting board, close-up food photography

Why It Works

Crunchy chicken, not soggy chicken: A quick brine plus a seasoned flour and cornstarch dredge gets you crisp edges that hold up under honey butter.
Biscuits that rise like they mean it: Cold butter, cold buttermilk, and a hot oven give you tall layers and that tender, steamy middle.
Honey butter that hits the right note: A classic copycat ratio that is sweet-forward but not cloying, with enough salt to keep you coming back for “one more bite.”
Built for breakfast batching: You can prep biscuits, chicken, and honey butter in advance, then reheat and assemble fast on busy mornings.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

How to Store and Reheat

This sandwich is at its peak when it is freshly assembled. But the good news is you can store the components separately and still get a fantastic breakfast later.

Store

Biscuits: Cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Fried chicken: Refrigerate in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for up to 3 days. For best crunch, do not store it sealed while still warm.
Honey butter: Refrigerate in a covered container for 1 to 2 weeks. Use a clean utensil each time. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.

Reheat

Biscuits: Wrap in foil and warm at 325°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or split and toast cut-side down in a skillet.
Chicken: Re-crisp in a 400°F oven or air fryer until hot and crunchy, about 6 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. Microwave works, but you will lose the crunch.
Honey butter: Let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes, or warm 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave until spreadable.

Pro tip: Assemble right before eating. If you honey-butter it too early, the biscuit starts soaking it up and the chicken loses its crisp edge.

Common Questions

What is a good honey butter ratio for this sandwich?

For that copycat fast-food vibe, go with 2 parts softened butter to 1 part honey by volume, plus a pinch of salt. That gives you a glossy, sweet-forward spread that still tastes like butter, not candy.

Do I have to brine the chicken?

No, but it helps a lot. Even 30 minutes in a quick buttermilk brine keeps the chicken juicy and seasoned all the way through. For food safety peace of mind, brine in the fridge, and keep total time at room temperature under 2 hours. If you are in a rush, skip the brine and just season the chicken generously before dredging.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs are extra forgiving and stay juicy. Pound them to an even thickness so they fry evenly and fit the biscuit.

What oil is best for frying?

Use a neutral oil with a higher smoke point like canola, vegetable, peanut, or avocado oil. Keep the oil around 350°F for the crispiest results.

Can I make this in an air fryer?

You can, but it will be a different style of crunch. Spray the dredged chicken well with oil, air fry at 400°F until cooked through, and flip halfway. Still tasty, just not quite the same shatter-crisp coating as frying.

How do I keep the biscuit from getting soggy?

Toast the biscuit lightly after slicing, and brush honey butter on the top half only right before serving. Also let the chicken cool for 2 minutes after frying so steam does not soften the bread immediately.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Mixing bowl and whisk
Pastry cutter or fork (or your fingers, the classic tool)
Rolling pin (optional)
2.5 to 3-inch biscuit cutter
Cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pot for frying
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer (very helpful for frying)
Wire rack (for draining and keeping chicken crisp)

I love recipes that feel like a little reward for showing up to your own kitchen, and this one is exactly that. The first time I tried a honey butter chicken biscuit, I remember thinking, “This is chaotic breakfast genius.” Sweet honey butter has no business working this well with fried chicken, and yet here we are.

Making it at home is also where the magic happens. You get to chase the details the drive-thru cannot, like a biscuit that actually flakes into layers and chicken with crisp edges that crackle when you bite. It is the kind of breakfast that turns a regular morning into a solid plan.

Copycat Whataburger Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6 sandwiches

Ingredients

Honey Butter

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but gives that dessert-shop aroma)

Buttermilk Biscuits (Tall and Flaky)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup cold buttermilk, plus 2 tbsp more if needed
2 tbsp melted butter (for brushing, optional)

Crispy Chicken

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb total), sliced into 6 thin cutlets
Neutral frying oil (canola or vegetable), enough for about 1/2-inch depth in skillet (roughly 2 to 3 cups for a 10 to 12-inch skillet)

Quick Brine Option (Recommended)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/4 tsp black pepper

Dredge

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk (or milk)

Instructions

Make the Honey Butter

In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, honey, salt, and vanilla (if using) until smooth and glossy.
Set aside at room temperature if using soon. If you want it thicker, refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes.

Ratio note: Want it sweeter? Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons honey. Want it more savory? Add another pinch of salt.

Bake the Biscuits

Heat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
Add cold butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter or your fingers until you have pea-sized pieces and some flatter shards. Those butter shards make layers.
Pour in cold buttermilk and stir just until the dough looks shaggy. If it is very dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick, fold into thirds like a letter, rotate, and pat again. Do this fold 2 more times for extra layers.
Pat to about 1-inch thickness. Cut biscuits straight down (do not twist) with a 2.5 to 3-inch cutter. Press scraps together gently and cut more.
Set biscuits close together on the baking sheet for taller rise. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until deeply golden on top.
Optional: Brush tops with melted butter right out of the oven. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Prep the Chicken

Slice and pound: Slice each chicken breast into 3 thinner cutlets. Pound to an even thickness, about 1/2-inch. Breasts vary a lot, so use thickness as your guide and aim for 6 cutlets that are roughly biscuit-sized. Even thickness means even cooking and less oil absorption.
Brine (recommended): Mix brine ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken and let sit 30 minutes (in the fridge is ideal). If you brine at room temperature, keep it under 2 hours total.

Dredge and Fry

Set up a dredging station: In a shallow dish, whisk flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. In a second dish, whisk egg with 1/4 cup buttermilk.
Heat about 1/2-inch oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F. Safety note: do not fill your pan more than halfway with oil.
Remove chicken from brine and let excess drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg mixture, then dredge again in seasoned flour. Press firmly so the coating sticks.
Fry 2 to 3 pieces at a time (do not crowd). Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and the thickest part hits 165°F. Visual cues help too: the coating should be a rich golden brown and the chicken juices should run clear when pierced.
Drain on a wire rack. Rest 2 to 3 minutes, then sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt while hot.

Crispy fried chicken cutlets resting on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath, close-up food photo

Assemble

Split biscuits. If you want maximum anti-soggy insurance, toast the cut sides in a dry skillet for 30 to 60 seconds.
Place one crispy chicken fillet on the bottom half of each biscuit.
Brush honey butter on the top biscuit half, then close the sandwich.
Eat immediately while the chicken is crunchy and the honey butter is glossy.

Make-Ahead Tips

Biscuits: Bake, cool, and freeze. Reheat wrapped in foil at 325°F, then split and toast.
Chicken: Fry ahead, cool fully, refrigerate. Re-crisp in oven or air fryer at 400°F.
Honey butter: Make a double batch and keep in the fridge. It is also unreal on toast, waffles, and sweet potatoes.
Assembly rule: Keep components separate until the last minute for best texture.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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