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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.
Loved this chicken!! I made some rice and drizzled some of the honey sauce on it as well. Delish!
Hey Sara,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)
Very delicious! I have made this several times and it’s always a hit!
Thanks so much Betsy!! So glad to hear that this recipe is always a winner:) xT
This was super delicious! I halved my chicken breasts to make the portions more manageable but then the chicken cooked faster than the crust could get properly crispy. So make sure your chicken breasts aren’t too thin!
Tieghan–If I wanted to reheat the chicken, would you recommend doing it in the oven, or do you think another method would be better? Thanks!
Hey Liv,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:) I think the oven for reheating is just fine! xx
Apologies. I see the approximate calorie count but wondered about other nutritional info too.
So sorry, we just have the calorie count available at this time:) xT
Do you ever put the nutritional information with your recipe’s?
Thank you
Hi Rochelle,
We have the estimated calorie counter listed above the ingredient list:) xT
What hot sauce do you use for this recipe? Tabasco? They’re so many to choose from.
Hey Jennifer,
I used Frank’s Hot Sauce for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi! I am planning on making this tonight. I’m wondering if you have tried breading it ahead of time and then leaving it in the fridge before actually cooking it? I don’t want the corn flakes to get soggy. Thank you!
Hey Tori,
I think that would be fine for you to do if it’s just for a few hours:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Bookmarking this recipe for my next grocery shop! Would a panko crumb work in place of cornflakes? I’ve found a really great gluten-free panko and use it for your schnitzel recipe.
Hey Kaitlyn,
Sure, that would work well for you! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I made this recipe last week and it was a hit!
Crispy and delicious, honey grizzle is amazing.
I added a little mayo to the extra honey sauce and used it as a dip for the yam fries 😊
Hey Hali,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Do you think you can do this with bone in chicken thighs? Just adjust the time?
Hey Clara,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
I made this for lunch today for me and my 19 yr. old son. We both loved it. I would make it again. It was very easy. I used thin sliced chicken breasts, but I bet boneless, skinless thighs would really be good.
I could see having a piece of leftover chicken on a brioche bun with some homemade chipotle mayo.
Love your recipes.
Hey Bonnie,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
SO good!! I wasn’t able to get any corn flakes, so I had to skip that part, but even without the crunchy coating this chicken was delicious! Can’t wait to try it the correct way next time 🙂
Hey Lexi,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, so glad to hear it was delicious! xx
YUM. This was incredibly easy to make and delicious. It made more like 9 servings, but we aren’t sad about the leftovers. I did double coat the chicken, which means I needed 2 additional eggs and 2 tablespoons extra hot sauce. Didn’t need to add any additional cereal.
If we were eating just the chicken, without the honey sauce, it would be a little on the bland side. But the chicken with the sauce is perfection.
I pounded 3 large chicken breasts to even thickness, about 1/2 inch thick, then cut each into 3 palm sized pieces. 25 minutes cooked to 165 degrees F. I also baked on an oven safe baking rack sat into a baking tray to help get the bottoms a little more crisp.
Served with roasted asparagus and everyone loved it.
Hey Jesseca,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this and sharing what worked well for you, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! xx
I have made this twice now and it is fool proof. My whole family LOVES this chicken and they are a tough crowd (3 kids 15, 13, 5!) It’s also great because the kids can get involved by making the sauce.
Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Amy,
Amazing!! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for making it and your comment! xx
EXCELLENT. so good. will be making regularly.
Hey Rachael,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well! xT
Made this tonight and it was delicious. I’m not a huge “hot” person but yet was dying to make this. I cut the hot sauce in half and it was perfect for me. No one else minded either as everyone raved. Paired with sweet potato fries and a broccoli slaw. Will definitely make again!
Hey Jen,
Awesome!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it:) xx