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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken – a family favorite loved by everyone! Simple cornflake-crusted chicken baked up on a sheet pan until crispy and delicious. A double coat of crumbs is the secret. But my sauce…well it’s even more special. Sweet honey with the perfect combination of spices and sea salt. A delicious weeknight dinner to serve up to family and friends.

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

If there’s one recipe I was really excited to share this week, it’s this chicken. I know it’s not anything too out of the ordinary, but we love this recipe. My family always enjoys any kind of saucy baked chicken, but I usually do more of a buffalo-style sauce.

It’s a dinner everyone agrees on, so that makes my life easy!

Every so often, I’ll switch gears and do my version of a hot honey sauce. I’ve been making hot honey sauce for years and years, but this is my perfect sauce that came to be over trial and error.

Of course, it’s the simplest sauce, but I’ll never complain about simplicity when it comes to cooking!

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Details

The coating is key. Cornflakes are the star, they give the chicken that perfect crunch. I’ve tested other cereals, but everyone in the family agrees cornflakes have the best taste and crunch.

I use Nature’s Path, Organic Corn Flakes Cereal, which is naturally gluten-free and non-GMO. I order online, but if you’re looking for something in-store, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are both good options.

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

And of course, you can use the box of regular ole’ cornflakes we all grew up with. Either one works, I just prefer the organic, no gluten, no sugar option.

Crunch the cornflakes up in a food processor with paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then add the parmesan cheese. It may sound odd, but the cheese adds a salty flavor that melts over the chicken becoming crispy as it bakes.

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Next, I dredge the chicken through eggs beaten together with hot sauce, then through the crumbs. For a thicker coating, I’ll take the chicken and dip it back through the eggs, and the crumbs for a 2nd time. This takes slightly longer, but the thicker coating is always delish.

Next, olive oil on the chicken to help it crisp up…then bake! I don’t do anything fancy, just bake 25 minutes and this chicken comes out perfect every time.

Totally no fuss.

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Before the chicken is done, warm the honey on the stove with hot sauce, cayenne, and chipotle chili powder. The chili powder adds a very subtle smokiness to the sweet, spicy, salty sauce.

You can use as little or as much of the sauce as you’d like, but I end up drizzling every last drop of the sauce over the chicken. It’s SO DELICIOUS.

Herbs, then sea salt to finish. This really is the perfect hot honey chicken. Plus, I love how easy it is to prepare.

I serve this with sweet potato fries and my fav wintery salad. Highly recommend some crispy sweet potato fries on the side. So yummmy with the spicy sauce!

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for more recipes? Here are a few to try:

Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels

Fried Buffalo Goat Cheese Balls

Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Buffalo Cauliflower with Spicy Tahini Ranch

Lastly, if you make this Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 403 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Hot Honey

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. In a food processor, combine the cornflakes, parmesan, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can crush the crumbs in a ziplock bag by stepping on them. Dump the crumbs into a shallow bowl.
    3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the hot sauce and chicken, and toss well to coat.
    3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, covering fully. Place on the prepared baking sheet. For a thicker coating, dip the chicken back through the eggs, then through the crumbs a 2nd time. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crisp all around.
    4. Just before the chicken is done cooking, make the sauce. In a sauce pot, warm together the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder, plus a pinch of salt.
    5. Drizzle the warm sauce over the chicken. Top with herbs. If the sauce thickens, warm for 5 seconds in the microwave. Enjoy!
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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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  1. Happy first day of October!! We just finished eating these. Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken.! We made them as sandwiches with bacon and Swiss cheese and we did pair them with sweet potato fries as suggested. Happy to report, this will become one of our go to dishes for Sunday football games! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    So I forgot the olive oil, but this recipe is so good, that I have to remake it with the olive oil for that extra crunch because HOLYYYY. Plus I’m going to double the amount of sauce made. Just because I’d love to soak everything in it. It’s so delicious. I served it with loaded Mashed taters & *chef kiss* it was gorgeous. Thank you so much for this delish recipe

  3. 5 stars
    YUMMY!!! Absolutely loved it! For me the heat in the honey was a bit too much so would dial it back a bit but can’t wait to make it again!

  4. 5 stars
    This was an absolute hit! Will definitely keep in the line up. I added a little butter to the sauce to help the spices meld a bit.

  5. How do you get the under side of the chicken crispy?? Every time I use parchment paper the top gets crisp but the bottom is sogged out?

  6. I def can’t wait to make this recipe, it sounds awesome!

    Question, the video makes it look like cutlets, not tenderloins. Does it matter, or would u think there’d be a difference in cooking time? Ty!

  7. 5 stars
    SO delicious! I have used this recipe twice now and it has quickly become one of my boyfriend and I’s favorites 🙂