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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.
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
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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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!
This post was originally published on January 4, 2023
My husband made this and had zero issues with it. It was hands down one of the best recipes ever. I can’t wait to eat the leftovers!
Hi Tracie,
Fantastic!!🌻 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
I made this last night after getting back from the gym. I loved it and my boyfriend loved it even more! The first words he said when he woke up were, “mmm that chicken…”
He’s literally been making up songs about it all morning 😀 So, thank you. I’m adding this to our regular rotation!
Hey Marina,
Fantastic!!🌻 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
I made this tonight, and had absolutely spectacular results! (on my IG, bruce_channell) Considering the comments about the crust detaching, I used five eggs, added some baking powder to the breading and double-drenched.
Also, I think it’s important to tenderize and salt the chicken breasts, 20 minutes before drenching.
Hey Bruce,
Fantastic!!🌻 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
Love HBH but this missed the mark. The cornflake breading slipped right off even after properly breading and baking and the cornflake flavor was too strong. Hot honey sauce was good. Next time would just do Panko crusted cutlets and the sauce.
I had the same issue with the breading slipping off. It tasted good but frustrating that it wouldn’t stay on.
Hi Joey,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
wow wow wow….. just made for the first time tonight and will not be my last time…… damn so good… Thank you…Dave
Thanks so much David!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! xx
I made this tonight and it was sooo good! Served with haricots verts and tj wild rice! Yummy!
Hey Lisa,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was a winner!🌞 xx
T, This is Tori from Aspen. I’d like to say a massive thank you for sharing your recipes. Please come visit me in Aspen. I cook everyday mainly Asian stuff though lol x
Thanks so much Tori!!
Made this tonight, cut the chicken into smaller prices, made homemade biscuits and had crunchy chicken sliders! So yummy!
Thanks so much Carol!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it:) xx
Loved this recipe! So quick and easy.
What kind of hot sauce do you use?
Hey Adrienne,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was a winner! I really like Frank’s Hot Sauce.🌞 xx
Going to make it this weekend! Can I use panko instead of cornflake?
Hi Pri,
Sure, that should work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try:) xx
Made this for dinner tonight and it was so good! Crisp, flavorful, and delicious. I made it exactly.
Hi Hailey,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it was a hit! xx
Made this tonight and it was such a winner! The crunch of the chicken was my family’s favorite, and I know it will be in a regular rotation. Plan to do it in two weeks for a party and will serve as smaller nuggets and put the hot honey sauce and maybe a ranch sauce on the side.
Hey Beth,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was a winner!🌞 xx
This was SO GOOD! Quick, easy, and delicious- a new regular for my fam! Thank you!
Hi Josie,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it was a hit! xx
Just made this tonight and oh my goodness……….so so so good. Love the cornflake breading AND sweet/spicy sauce. This will be a regular for us now.
Hey Darenda,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it was a hit! xx
Hi,
What hot sauce do you use? Thanks!
Hi Eileen,
I really like Frank’s Red Hot. Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Would omitting the grated Parmesan to make it dairy free be okay? Any possible substitute for it?
Nutritional Yeast
Vegans use this to add a Parmesan type flavor
Maybe nutritional yeast would be a substitute? Wouldn’t have the melty factor, but can cover the umami/salt factors.
Hey Kaitlyn,
That would be okay for you to do or try a vegan cheese. I hope this helps, let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx