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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
Hi from NZ. Could you please tell me what you use as “ hot sauce?”
Hi Linda,
I usually use Frank’s Brand Hot Sauce. Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
This recipe was terrific! I made it with a tofu for me and chicken for the family. Next time I will make more sauce because it was so good! 😋
Hey Jill,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit!⛄️ xT
Oh my goodness Tieghan, this looks amazing. So tired of boring chicken and will make this asap! What a great recipe.
Thanks so much Maree!! Let me know if you give this a try! xT
This recipe looks amazing, but I worry it will be too spicy for me. How spicy is it? And would it work well if I reduced the amount of hot sauce used to just 1 tbsp? or eliminated it completely?
Hi Dina,
This chicken is spicy, you might like one of these recipes better:
https://fett-weg.today/chicken-katsu-bowls/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/basil-chicken-saltimbocca/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/baked-chicken-nuggets/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/baked-spicy-ranch-chicken-fingers/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hello! By chance are there any egg free alternatives to coat the chicken? Would love to make this for my family, but we have an egg allergy in the house. Thank you!
Would a vegan egg substitute work? Barring that, buttermilk or plain yogurt are excellent sticky things that I often use to add extra flavor when breading.
Hey Leia,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hey Stephanie,
Sure, I think buttermilk would also work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I use heavy whipping cream when I am out of eggs. It works pretty well.
Great tip, thanks for sharing Erika!!
This recipe was very good. Moist drumsticks and thighs, which meant that I had to double the baking time. (Should have known that!)
My husband has celiacs, and he was yearning for good ol’ fashion fried chicken, and this hit the mark. I also eliminated the heat so that it mirrored fried chicken. Mission accomplished! Thank you!
Hey Pamela,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! xT
The baked honey hot chicken was a home run!! Very easy to make…really loved the hot honey sauce…Thanks for another delicious recipe. Happy New Year!
Thanks so much for making this recipe Jeannie! I love to hear that it was a winner! xT
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Loved the sauce with just the right amount of kick!
“Or you can STEP on them”. Girl, that’s just nasty (yes they are in a bag but still). I get you’re being quirky and shilling for comments but this ain’t it
“Shilling for comments” by saying “stepping on them” to her following of 5 million people is a reach but go off, Marcie.
Thank you. I thought it was awesome what Tieghan wrote! So fun!
Do you have a recipe for the homemade ranch you mentioned?
Hey Jennifer,
I sure do! You can find the recipe here:
https://fett-weg.today/bbq-chicken-ranch-pasta-salad/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Marcie I hope you are able to heal from whatever is making you so miserable in life right now!
Hey Susy,
I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
Spicy, crispy, delicious!! We definitely will make this again. Not much work and so much flavor. Definitely a home run.
Hey Judy,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
Oh so good! I had to limit the hot honey so everyone would like their chicken but I loved it!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Thursday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Incredible recipe!!! Thank you Tieghan!! My husband is loving it.
Beware it’s spicy.
Thanks so much Ronit!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xT
Would the time increase for thighs with bone? How long?
Hi Susy,
Yes, but for this recipe, I prefer to use boneless chicken, I think it works better and gives a better crust. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This recipe was fantastic, especially the sauce! I just finished feeding my family of five that includes a 4 year old, 5 year old and 6 year old and they LOVED it! Thank you for this wonderful recipe, we’ll definitely be making it again!
Hey Michelle,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
Looks delicious! Reminds me a lot of Monique Volz’s recipe, which I found recently: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/cornflake-chicken/
WOW…where do you live that cornflakes are $40 to $51 dollars? I know inflation is crazy but that’s incredible. I’m going to use Panko instead of Cornflakes as this sounds too good not to try it. Hopefully you’re pricing drops!!!
She said in the recipe that you can use the regular ole cornflakes we all grew up with, this is just what she prefers.
Hi Cindy,
I think there was some confusion, the price was for a pack of corn flakes, not just 1 box:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT