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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.
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If there’s one recipe I was really excited to share this week, it’s this hot 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 Nashville 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!
Ingredients
- cornflakes
- grated parmesan cheese
- smoked paprika
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- large eggs, beaten
- tablespoons hot sauce
- chicken breast tenderloins
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
HOT HONEY
- honey
- hot sauce
- cayenne pepper
- chipotle chili powder
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sea salt
- fresh thyme, cilantro, or parsley, for serving
Details
The coating is key for this hot honey chicken recipe. Crushed 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.
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 tenders becoming crispy as it bakes.
Next, I dredge the chicken through eggs beaten together with hot sauce, then through the crumbs mixture. 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.
Before the chicken is done, warm the honey on the stove in a small saucepan 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!
For leftovers, save the rest of your chicken in an airtight container and bake the next day or heat up in the air fryer.
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
Ingredients
- 6 cups cornflakes, (use gluten free, if needed)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Hot Honey
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- sea salt
- fresh thyme, cilantro, or parsley, for serving
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
It looks crunchy and tender but with too much oil it seems like. Well, something to try when next we wish to have chicken again.
I hope you love the recipe!!
Looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thanks so much Lina!! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
This looks amazing and delicious! I can’t wait to make it! Thank you for another great recipe!
Thanks so much Sara!! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Looks delish! Heinz 57 Collection came out with a new line of crunchy sauces and honeys. I have the Infused honey with hot chilis. Going to try the chicken recipe with that. Thank you!
Great idea!! I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xT
I have a whole box of corn Chex , could I use this as a substitute?
Hi Bonnie,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to use! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Looks amazing! Did you pound the chicken to a certain thickness?
Hi Olivia,
I just purchased smaller sized chicken breasts, but if yours are large you can certainly cut them and pound them out:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
These cornflakes are $40 and $51, do we think that’s a little high for a recipe?
Each package is 26.4 Ounce (Pack of 6). You’re getting 6 packages for $51, which works out to $0.32 an ounce. Price for an 18 ounce package of Kelloggs corn flakes is $5.49 at my King Soopers which equals $0.34 an ounce. Kellogg s is not organic.
Can we use Corn Chex? They are gluten-free and you are grinding up the cereal anyway.
Sure, I don’t see why not:)
In what world are you living that cornflakes cost $51?? What a stupid comment
The price is for a pack of six. You can always use whatever you want.
That’s Amazon sellers allowing the algorithm to dictate price. I doubt she actually wants anyone to buy a $40 box of cereal. People posting Amazon items/internet items don’t control the pricing algorithm. The more people look at a specific linked item, the more it’s assumed it’s popular thus driving pricing.
Your hot honey chicken recipe (the Nashville type recipe) is literally on the menu for tonight. This recipe looks very similar yet no butter! Any comment from you about which one you prefer? My kids love the hot honey butter one…. Not sure about taking a chance on this one 🤷🏻♀️
Hey Lynn,
Lol they are both great!! This one just has the sweetness from the hot honey:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Hi Lauren,
Please note that it’s for a pack of 6 LARGE bags of corn flakes. You do not have to buy this exact brand and such a large amount, 1 box from your local grocery store is plenty:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
“or you can STEP on them”?!?!! That’s nasty (and yea Marcie, I know they’re in a bag, so shush). I get you’re being quirky and shilling for comments but yikes girl. This ain’t it.
I bought a box at my local grocery store for 4.79 and this was my gourmet grocery store.
Tieghan, thank you for sharing. I am going to try this recipe this week. Could you share the link to your favorite wintery salad mentioned in this article? Thanks and Happy New Year!
Hey Teresa,
Awesome! I hope you love this chicken! Here is the link for the salad:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/winter-salad-maple-candied-walnuts-balsamic-fig-dressing-big-giveaway/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
What’s the difference between the other hot honey chicken and this one? We like the popcorn one too.
Hey Min,
Just a change up in some of the ingredients and how the chicken is made. This recipe I also wanted the chicken to be pretty thin and crunchy! Let me know if you give this one a try! xx
This sounds delicious. I’m going to try it with cauliflower too for the vegetarians in my family.
Great idea to use cauliflower Karen! I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xx
Can’t wait to make this! I know this is going to be delicious!
Thanks so much Kathleen, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Wondering if you might have a suggestion how to make this without the heat.
If you wanted to do this without heat
Add some dill pickle brine and buttermilk to eggs instead of hot sauce (to add flavor)
For infused honey- leave out hot sauce, chipotle and cayenne. Instead add to honey- regular chili powder (not spicy), smoked (or sweet) paprika and maybe some sesame seeds for extra crunch
Hi Jeanne Marie,
You’ll want to use a mild hot sauce and for the hot honey I would skip the cayenne. You might also like this recipe better:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/baked-chicken-nuggets/
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can’t wait to try this. Any recommendations for dairy free substitutes? Also looking at your baked sweet potato fries, but have same question. We have gluten and dairy issues here.
Hi Denise,
You could try using a dairy free milk in place of the eggs, that might work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish! xx
Eggs come out of birds.
Eggs are not a dairy product.
Can you use bread crumbs or panko instead of corn flakes?
Hi Pauline,
I’m sure either of those would work, the corn flakes really give a nice crust if you want to give them a try! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Happy New Year and Greetings from the UK. Thank you for the recipe 👏👏👏 it looks fabulous. How many does this serve? On the print page I can’t see a serving size to adjust. Stay safe…
Hey Nina,
Thanks so much for pointing that out! This will serve 6:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT