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This Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken is spicy, saucy, and so delicious. It’s an easier, yet still fun, twist on the famous Nashville Hot Chicken. Breaded popcorn chicken bites are oven baked until crispy. Then they’re finished with a beyond perfect sweet and spicy honey butter sauce with crisp garlic and chili flakes. Out of this world good. Great for dinner or served as a game day appetizer.
With the Olympics starting up on Thursday, and the Super Bowl to follow, I’m all about creating some fun recipes with sports in mind. That said, these have been on my “to-make recipe list” for a while now.
My brothers are big chicken guys, especially bite-sized chicken covered in sauce. They usually request some kind of buffalo chicken, but I thought I’d throw them a curveball and do something southern-inspired. If you’re not familiar with it, there is a Nashville hot honey chicken that people rave about. It’s deep-fried and covered in a spicy honey butter sauce.
I’ve only been to Nashville once, and it wasn’t a long trip, so I’ve never gotten to try this chicken. I’ve googled the recipe and everyone’s is slightly different. The biggest thing is lots of cayenne, honey, and butter.
I’ve made a version in the past, but wanted to do something bite-size.
What ended up happening was simple. I made my own hot honey sauce as I was cooking this chicken. It’s very different from the Nashville sauce, but it sure is delicious.
I did a little combo of chili crisp garlic oil and hot honey. It turned out so well, I’ve been excited to share this ever since I made it!
The details – the chicken
Like a lot of my “oven fried” chicken recipes, this doesn’t require much effort. I love to use finely crushed corn flakes for the breading. Then bake the chicken in a super hot oven until it’s crispy all around.
While I love using cornflakes, you could also use Panko or gluten-free bread crumbs.
The sauce – the most important part
I’m not sure there’s a better sauce for these, this sauce is extra special.
It starts with cooking butter and garlic together until the butter slowly browns around the garlic and the garlic turns golden crisp. Basically, I’ve been really into the chili garlic crisp sauce everyone also seems to be into right now. I love the slight crunch of the garlic and all the chili flakes. So I took the concept and applied it to the butter sauce.
When the sauce is off the stove, add the honey, cayenne, and spices. Then some chili flakes. Make sure to add the cayenne and chili flakes to your taste.
If you love sauce like we do, I would double the recipe. Never enough sauce.
As soon as the chicken comes out of the oven, drizzle that hot honey over the chicken and give it a little toss. It’s important to use most of the sauce right away. As the sauce cools, the butter separates from the honey, making it a little tricky to drizzle.
Serve the chicken warm. It doesn’t need any extra sauces or garnishes. Just the chicken and that honey sauce! So delicious.
If you want to make this into an easy dinner, I’d serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Then add a side of roasted vegetables and a nice big house-style salad.
Everyone really enjoyed this, my dad, brothers, mom, I even think Asher loved it. Though it may have been a little spicy for her…but she had rice, so all was good! Excited to make this for the Olympics this week!
Looking for more game day 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 , 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!
Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 541 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 1/4 cups corn flakes – finely crushed, or use Panko
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Hot Honey
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, add the chicken and toss well to coat. In a separate bowl combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, covering fully. Place on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.4. Just before the chicken is done cooking, make the sauce. In a small skillet, melt together the butter and garlic over medium heat. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic turns golden. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the honey, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, and chili flakes. 5. Drizzle or pour the warm sauce over the chicken, tossing to coat. The sauce thickens quickly, so be sure to use while still warm. Serve um up!
Notes
Sauce: if you like extra sauce for drizzling/dipping, double the hot honey recipe.
This post was originally published on February 1, 2022
This was so easy and so delicious! A perfect weeknight dinner. Only thing I would do next time is double the sauce.. it’s so delicious we couldn’t get enough.
Hey Erin,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
This looks delish! Very similar to the hot wings recipe I’ve made for years. Rather than the hot honey ingredients you list, I use a mix of honey, apricot jam, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and garlic. And, of course, chicken wings. One of my serious faves. Can’t wait to try your version.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
In order to keep the chicken tender, I add a tiny bit of lemon juice to the egg. I learned this small and simple trick 15 years ago, makes the chicken so soft and tender it melts in your mouth. soooo worth it!
Thanks for the tip, I hope you love the recipe!!
Loved this! I really enjoy your other hot honey chicken recipe but found this super easy with the chunks of breast. Would be ideal as party food too! Thought it all worked out great as per recipe.
Hi Kara,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
I would think this would benefit from soaking the chicken in spiced buttermilk to both tenderize and moisten given the use of breasts?
Hey there,
If that is something you would like to do, then totally go for it! I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This looks delicious we are going to try it tonight!!! Could I use plain Chex cereal instead of the cornflakes?
Hey Helen,
I think cornflakes or potato chips would be your best option. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
So excited to try this! I would like to make four portions, two for a dinner and two for lunch the next day. Would you recommend drizzling all with sauce and storing that way? Or would you suggest making a second round of sauce for day two? Thank you!
Hey Leslie,
Yes, you can just fully make the recipe and then reheat for lunch. I hope you love the dish, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Sounds so good! Any tips for trying this in an air fryer?
Hey Kelly,
I bet this would work well in the air fryer, I haven’t tested it, but let me know if you give it a try! Hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
I’m thinking of making it in the air fryer also. Did you have success?
Definitely going to make this! Question recipe ingredient list says (1) egg but you have plural in the instructions. Can you please confirm it’s (1) egg.
P.S. I love your recipes! I have your Super Simple cookbook. I love it so much I have given it as gifts to the cooks in my life.
Hi Susan,
Yes, it is just 1 egg:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I’m surprised the cereal wouldn’t burn at 425 for 20 minutes!
Hey Dana,
It doesn’t burn:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I’m glad you are back to your normal recipes! Over the healthier stuff?
Lol thanks Amy!
This looks amazing! Could you do this in the air fryer? If so, do you have a recommended time/temp?
Hey Colleen,
So sorry, I’ve never tried this in the air fryer, but I bet it would work well for you. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope it turns out amazing for you! xTieghan
Questions because I am so nosy…which of your siblings live near you?
Also what is Trevor’s profession? Do Kai & Cait live near you?
Have you ever met Hailey’s family? She looks such a nice girl
Hi Angela,
Lol Oslo and Asher lives with my parents, the rest of the boys live in California. Trevor does social media for Monster. Kai and Cait both live in California. Yes, we have met Hailey’s family, they will be here for the Olympics this weekend:) Hailey is the best!! xTieghan
How about your Cincinnati chili for the Bengals and the Super Bowl?
Although I’ll take an order of your popcorn chicken also.
Great idea too!! I hope you love the recipe!!
I love your previous hot honey chicken, so excited to try this new one!
Thanks so much Steph, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
OMG I should really make this recipe. it really reminds me of Korean fried chicken ! 🙂
Miki x
https://www.littletasteofbeauty.com/
I hope you love the recipe!!