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This Oven Fried Chicken is a slightly healthier, and much easier, take on the famous Nashville Hot Chicken. Breaded in corn flakes, oven baked, and finished with a beyond perfect sweet and spicy honey butter sauce, this is a chicken dinner that’s sure to be loved by all!
So you guys, those sentences up there above this first photo? I know, they’re so cheesy, but let me explain some things about the food blogging world that others might not tell you. There’s this thing called SEO, and then there are your Google rankings. I will not get into details about what these really mean, because if I’m being honest, I’m still trying to figure them out in full myself.
Basically, all you need to know is that there is a certain way Google would like me to write out my blog post every single day. Yes, Google ranks how I write my blog, and yes, it’s annoying. So, why do I even care what Google thinks you ask? Well, it’s simple, I really want to share my recipes with as many of you as possible. I work so hard to create new and exciting recipes day in and out, and I want anyone who might be interested in finding them to see them.
When you search in Google, it’s Google who decides what shows up front and center. And you know how you get on Google’s good side? You listen to them, and write your blog post in a very straight forward, kind of boring, and impersonal way. It’s not that cool, and that’s just the truth.
What does all this mean? Well, it just means that sometimes I have to write some cheesy things within the post to stay on Google’s good side. Google would also prefer I limit my story telling. As you might guess, I’m not going to do that. I think one of the things that makes HBH unique is my stories, and how they connect to my recipes. I don’t want to lose that just because Google says I should.
Over the years I’ve learned that you just have to be YOU, and stick to what works for YOU. So I’m listening to Google to a point, but at the same time, I’m sticking with my own personal style. It’s all about balance, right?
I certainly think so…obviously.
Alright, my ranting is now done. Let’s chat about this chicken.
You guys might not know this, but I actually find cooking chicken to be a little boring, so when I do cook with chicken, I have to make sure it’s extra flavorful and delicious. Kind of like the way I do up my salads.
When my brother, Creighton was in town last week, I knew I needed a good chicken recipe to serve him. The man loves himself some fried chicken, so I thought I would throw him a curve ball and turn one of his favorite greasy foods into a healthier recipe that he’d love all the same.
Enter this southern fried hot honey chicken.
I swear, this is just as good as fried chicken. Bold, but it’s true.
The key is to soak the chicken in a little buttermilk before breading. The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken while adding flavor at the same time. From here, you’ll bread the chicken in crushed corn flakes seasoned with herbs, and then oven bake. It’s pretty simple and straight forward.
The flavor is all in the hot honey sauce. Oh this sauce, it’s genuinely just so good.
The sauce was inspired by the famous Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s spicy, but balanced with a touch of sweetness. The classic way to add sweetness to this spicy sauce is with brown sugar, but you guys know I prefer using honey whenever I get the chance, so I made a few swaps and came out with one of my favorite sauces to date.
As soon as the chicken comes out of the oven, brush the hot honey over the warm chicken and allow it to soak into the crunchy coating. Then eat.
It. Is. SO. GOOD.
And I swear, you can’t even tell it’s not fried.
When I finally had the chicken perfected, I sent the leftovers home with my brother knowing he’d love them. Thing is, you can’t trust brothers to do anything because the chicken somehow managed to get burnt in the oven while re-heating. Either he burned it or my dad did, the stories are unclear, but either way, no one got any of this delicious chicken…well at least not the way it was intended to be eaten.
YES. Totally serious. My family everyone. I love um, but man they cannot cook.
Oh well, bottom line is that this chicken is delicious and you really need to give it a try. Today, tomorrow, this weekend, or maybe even this summer. This chicken would be perfect for warm picnics and summer parties.
Or how about all of the above?
If you make this Oven Fried Chicken and love it, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love, love, love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this chicken, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! I love looking at the photos of recipes you all have made. It makes my day!
Watch the How To Video:
Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 651 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs (you can use skin on or off, but I used skin off)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cups finely crushed corn flakes
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Hot Honey
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Add the chicken to a gallon size zip top bag. Pour the buttermilk and salt over the chicken. Toss well, cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or overnight.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.3. Add the corn flake crumbs, flour, thyme, and a pinch of salt to a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.4. Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Lightly brush the chicken with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip the chicken over and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. If using thighs, you may need to cook the chicken a little longer 5. Meanwhile, make the hot honey. Melt together the butter, honey, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. 5. Brush or drizzle the chicken generously with hot honey and serve warm Enjoy!
Sounds good to me.
This was my first HBH recipe to make and it was a good one!! I marinaded the chicken all day and due to time constraints ended up cooking it in the air fryer at 390 for 18 minutes. I also only put in 1.5 tsp of cayenne which was plenty of heat. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I received compliments on the dish which made me happy. Thank you!!
Hey Malinda,
Happy Thursday! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks so much for making it! xT
Wow!’Great stuff!
Marinated over night.
In an effort to lower calories & fat I skipped the oil on chicken, still brown & crunchy. Used nonstick foil instead of parchment. For the sauce
I used T.J. hot honey & didn’t add butter. Didn’t miss it at all. Let the honey sauce soak in 3-5 minutes as it will be so good.
My husband is planning a Nashville hot chicken Sammie with the left overs!
Hey Sheila,
I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve been making it with my mom for over 2 years now. It is SO GOOD and so easy! This is a family favorite and one of my all time favorite chicken recipes. I use regular flour & sometimes dried thyme when I’m in a pinch and it still comes out perfect! I am so grateful for this recipe it is a staple in my family. Just curious what are some sides you pair it with? We just had this for dinner and I’m already looking forward to making it again soon!
Hey Kate,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xT
If I could give this 10 stars I would! I did more of “chicken tenders” sized pieces and it came out so good! My husband is a very picky chicken eater and said he would eat chicken all the time if I made it this way! The hot honey butter takes it to the next level! The only sad thing is the leftovers don’t taste the same, even reheating it in the airfryer. But still good!! Will 100% make again!
Hey Leah,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
Fantastic recipe! I literally make it 1x week for my family and they fight over leftovers. I don’t use any flour in the corn flake mix and I use only about 1/2 the cayenne but otherwise great as is!
Hey Lisa,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
what’s the difference between soaking in buttermilk for this recipe and not for the “Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken” recipe?
Hey there,
I just didn’t feel as though the popcorn chicken needs the extra step, they are able to get crispier since they are smaller. I hope you love the recipe! xT
Amazing! I made sure to incorporate tips that you mentioned in the comments: make sure no buttermilk is left on the chicken, really press the breading onto the chicken, and to not overheat the sauce. It came out delicious! I did cook it in the air fryer for extra crunch and it was incredible. Can’t wait to make it again!
Hey Sophia,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
This chicken is so good that my husband wanted to go get fried chicken and then I said “or if you can wait I’ll make the hot honey fried chicken tomorrow”. He was so jazzed and now he cant wait for dinner tomorrow 🙂
Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Hailey,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it:)
Delicious! Was definitely a hit with my family and they are pretty picky eaters. 🙂
Hey Lexi,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xT
Loved this recipe. We loved the sauce and I did double it and used it all. So good! Thanks for the recipe and all your other great recipes I’ve tried.
Hi Jody,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great day:)
Absolutely delicious, but what do you recommend for keeping the crust on during the flip in the oven? Mine got kinda stuck to the foil 🙁
Hi Aliyah,
Thanks so much for your feedback and trying this recipe out! I love to hear that it was a hit:) Try using parchment paper rather than foil next time. Have the best weekend?
Our FAVORITE recipe! You need to do a reel or tiktok on this so more people can join in on the deliciousness lol. We make it once a week with super creamy mac and cheese! SO. GOOD.
Hey Emma,
Happy Friday!!? I am thrilled to hear that your family enjoys this recipe, thanks a bunch for making it so often! xxT
Hi! Can someone explain why the whole wheat flour instead of just regular bleached flour?
Hi Alexis,
I found it gave a heartier coating but feel free to use all purpose flour:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Tieghan, I love this recipe. I have been making it for years and can’t skip a summer without making it. Any recommendations for making this in an air fryer?
Hey Neli,
Thanks for your review and trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! Sorry, I’ve never made this in the air fryer, but I bet it would work well for you! Have the best Thursday! ?xTieghan
I’ve been making this recipe over and over since you first released it and it is always a hit! I use chicken tender strips and make homemade ranch for dunking and it’s just the best ever.
Hey Siobhan,
Amazing!! I am so glad to hear that you have been enjoying this recipe, thanks so much for making it so often and sharing your feedback:)
Made the recipe for dinner tonight. Delicious!!! Didn’t have corn flakes so I used tortilla chips crushed in food processor. The whole family loved it. I love your recipes.
Hey Sheree,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:)