Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken (Printable)
Golden crispy chicken with sweet spicy honey glaze, perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Crunchy Coating
05 - 2 cups cornflakes, crushed (about 60 g)
06 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (about 120 g)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
→ Dredging
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1/4 cup water
→ Hot Honey Drizzle
13 - 1/2 cup honey
14 - 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
15 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
16 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
17 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken breasts, turning to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours refrigerated for deeper flavor.
03 - Combine crushed cornflakes, panko breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Mix thoroughly.
04 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs with water until well combined.
05 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dip each piece into egg wash, then press firmly into the coating mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
06 - Place coated chicken on the prepared wire rack. Lightly spray or brush with oil for enhanced crispiness.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - While chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat, stirring until smooth and slightly runny. Avoid boiling.
09 - Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle generously with hot honey sauce immediately before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust stays impossibly crunchy even after the honey drizzle hits it
- That sweet heat combination is practically addictive
- Everything bakes on one sheet so cleanup is almost nonexistent
02 -
- Do not skip the wire rack or the bottom crust will steam and get soggy
- Letting the chicken rest before glazing prevents all that honey from running right off onto the baking sheet
03 -
- Crush cornflakes in a ziplock bag to avoid making crumbs all over your counter
- Keep the hot honey warm until serving because it thickens up fast as it cools