Description
Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken is a spicy-sweet, crispy chicken dish that’s oven-baked to golden perfection. Juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and finished with a sticky drizzle of homemade hot honey, it’s the ultimate comfort food without the deep frying. Perfect for busy weeknights or an impressive crowd-pleaser! Keywords: baked hot honey chicken, crispy baked chicken, spicy honey chicken, oven fried chicken, crunchy chicken recipe
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Cooking spray or oil for misting
- For the Hot Honey:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1–2 tablespoons hot sauce (adjust to spice level)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for extra heat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with oil.
- In a shallow bowl, pour the buttermilk.
- In another bowl, combine panko, crushed cornflakes, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk, then coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet and lightly spray the tops with oil.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C).
- Meanwhile, make the hot honey: in a small saucepan, gently warm honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes until combined and slightly runny (do not boil).
- Drizzle the hot honey over the baked chicken right before serving, or serve it on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can adjust the heat of the hot honey easily by adding more or less hot sauce.
- For extra crunch, toast the panko and cornflakes briefly before breading the chicken.
- Great served with creamy slaw, mashed potatoes, or on a sandwich!
Nutrition
- Calories: 450 (approximate per serving)
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
