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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
Is there a way to make a similar sauce that is a bit healthier? Sub for butter? Thanks!
Hey Darcey,
You could use a store bought sauce, but the butter really makes this one:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I’m worried about burning the garlic in the butter… is there a tip so that I know when it’s done and not on the verge of burning? Burnt garlic is the worst! Anyway, looking forward to making this for Super Bowl!
Hey, If I were to use this recipe for the chicken in tacos what other toppings would compliment it?
Thank you!! (Im obsessed with your recipes!)
Hey Jill,
I’ve never used this recipe with tacos, but you could do some type of slaw:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hey Bren,
When the garlic starts to become fragrant you will know it’s done. I hope this recipe turns out amazing, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Wow! This was fantastic and spicy ! It cleaned out my sinuses! It was so easy! We also liked the flank steak Korean Tacos! My son is turning into quite the chef and gourmet cook with your recipes!
Thank you! Rita W Neher
Hi Rita,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Oh my goodness! These were amazing. Didn’t have corn flakes so I used GF Panko. Crunchy, sweet and spicy goodness. Thanks for the great recipes and beyond beautiful photography.
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Ohmigosh! Can’t wait to try theses!
I hope you love the recipe Shauna!!
Hi! This looks so yummy! I have celiac disease and can’t eat cornflakes. Any other good GF coating suggestions? Thank you!!
I haven’t made the recipe but my son has Celiac too so I’m thinking Corn or rice Chex, both of which are GF!
Hey Lauren,
You could use potato chips in place of the corn flakes. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
When am I to add the olive oil
Hi Sarah,
You are going to drizzle the chicken with olive oil in step 3. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was so ridiculously perfectly delicious. Did the “double sauce” option without a second glance. 🙂
Hey Aline,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Made this tonight and it was SOOO GOOD!! Definitely spicy and also definitely double the sauce! One of my new favorites for sure.
Hey Emily,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Made this for dinner last night and everyone said it was better than take out. I definitely recommend taking the suggestion to double the sauce – it’s just too good! Thanks for another great recipe.
Hey Michelle,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
We have an egg allergy in our house. Is there anything you would recommend using in its place? This looks SO yummy!
You can use aquafaba! (The liquid from a can of chickpeas.) It can be used as an egg substitute in any dish – it even whips up to the same consistency as meringue and cooks the same. It’s…nature’s miracle. 😉
(My MIL has an egg allergy, so I have been using aquafaba for everything when she is visiting, including cakes. It works!)
https://www.thekitchn.com/the-most-magical-egg-replacement-and-how-to-use-it-234588
Hey there,
Buttermilk would also be a good option in place of the egg. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
MADE THIS TONIGHT! A-amazing. I used 1/2 Vector cereal (didn’t have cornflakes 1/2 Pablo. Was sooooo good! Yum
Hey Jody,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Is there anything you can use in place of the butter?
I would use Gee is I wasn’t using butty.
Hey Rose,
I would use a ghee or dairy free butter, I don’t think olive oil would give the best flavor in the hot honey. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was sssooo good and my family loved the spice!! We just made this today! I had all these ingredients on hand, using panko. It was a hit! It was super easy and so fast! Thank you!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Can you say, “Winner, winner…chicken dinner!” because that’s what this recipe is…a winner. Quick and easy to make. I had all of the ingredients on hand aside from cornflakes or panko crumbs. Instead, I crushed up some fried pork rinds and used that for my coating. It was really, really good. My picky eater bf LOVED it. He kept saying, “Babe, this is really, really good.” This is one that will definitely go into my regular rotation. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Amanda,
Lol thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
I absolutely loved making this recipe! I air-fried the chicken and added it to coconut rice and mixed veggies for a meal. The hot and Spicy sauce was incredibly delicious too! I’m currently expecting our first child and have really liked spicy meals, and this one hit the spot perfectly!
Hey Sandra,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Prince’s Hot Chicken was the original Nashville Hot Chicken and it was amazing! It’s too bad you didn’t get to have the Prince’s experience. All your recipes are fantastic, so I’ll give this a try but I’m calling it Half Baked Hot Chicken! Too sweet and mild for the real thing.
I hope you love the recipe Paula!!
Hi Tieghan! This was delicious even with some modifications based on what we had on hand (chicken thighs, vegan butter, garlic powder). But one question: whenever I make any of your delicious fried chicken recipes, I have trouble getting the corn flakes/panko to stick. Do you have any special tips? Thanks!
Hey Shana,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! I would say to make sure that they are ground up enough! Have a great day:) xxT