Description
This Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken delivers all the crispy, spicy-sweet flavor of fried chicken—without deep frying! Tender chicken is coated in a golden crust of panko and cornflakes, baked to perfection, and finished with a sticky homemade hot honey glaze. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner or party-ready main dish.
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2–3 dashes hot sauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup crushed cornflakes
- Olive oil spray or neutral oil for brushing
For the hot honey glaze:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional, for balance)
Instructions
- In a bowl, marinate chicken in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or place a wire rack on top.
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Combine panko and crushed cornflakes in a third bowl.
- Dredge marinated chicken in flour, dip into eggs, then coat in the panko-cornflake mixture. Press to adhere.
- Place chicken on baking sheet and spray or brush lightly with oil.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until chicken is crispy and cooked through.
- While baking, warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and vinegar in a small saucepan until pourable.
- Drizzle hot honey over chicken right after baking and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken pieces if preferred—adjust bake time accordingly.
- Add cayenne to flour for extra heat.
- Dijon mustard adds tang if added to the marinade.
- Make it gluten-free with GF breadcrumbs and flour.
- Hot honey can be made ahead and stored for up to a week.
