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This Oven Fried Chicken is a slightly healthier, and much easier, take on the famous Nashville Hot Chicken. Breaded in corn flakes, oven baked, and finished with a beyond perfect sweet and spicy honey butter sauce, this is a chicken dinner that’s sure to be loved by all!
So you guys, those sentences up there above this first photo? I know, they’re so cheesy, but let me explain some things about the food blogging world that others might not tell you. There’s this thing called SEO, and then there are your Google rankings. I will not get into details about what these really mean, because if I’m being honest, I’m still trying to figure them out in full myself.
Basically, all you need to know is that there is a certain way Google would like me to write out my blog post every single day. Yes, Google ranks how I write my blog, and yes, it’s annoying. So, why do I even care what Google thinks you ask? Well, it’s simple, I really want to share my recipes with as many of you as possible. I work so hard to create new and exciting recipes day in and out, and I want anyone who might be interested in finding them to see them.
When you search in Google, it’s Google who decides what shows up front and center. And you know how you get on Google’s good side? You listen to them, and write your blog post in a very straight forward, kind of boring, and impersonal way. It’s not that cool, and that’s just the truth.
What does all this mean? Well, it just means that sometimes I have to write some cheesy things within the post to stay on Google’s good side. Google would also prefer I limit my story telling. As you might guess, I’m not going to do that. I think one of the things that makes HBH unique is my stories, and how they connect to my recipes. I don’t want to lose that just because Google says I should.
Over the years I’ve learned that you just have to be YOU, and stick to what works for YOU. So I’m listening to Google to a point, but at the same time, I’m sticking with my own personal style. It’s all about balance, right?
I certainly think so…obviously.
Alright, my ranting is now done. Let’s chat about this chicken.
You guys might not know this, but I actually find cooking chicken to be a little boring, so when I do cook with chicken, I have to make sure it’s extra flavorful and delicious. Kind of like the way I do up my salads.
When my brother, Creighton was in town last week, I knew I needed a good chicken recipe to serve him. The man loves himself some fried chicken, so I thought I would throw him a curve ball and turn one of his favorite greasy foods into a healthier recipe that he’d love all the same.
Enter this southern fried hot honey chicken.
I swear, this is just as good as fried chicken. Bold, but it’s true.
The key is to soak the chicken in a little buttermilk before breading. The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken while adding flavor at the same time. From here, you’ll bread the chicken in crushed corn flakes seasoned with herbs, and then oven bake. It’s pretty simple and straight forward.
The flavor is all in the hot honey sauce. Oh this sauce, it’s genuinely just so good.
The sauce was inspired by the famous Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s spicy, but balanced with a touch of sweetness. The classic way to add sweetness to this spicy sauce is with brown sugar, but you guys know I prefer using honey whenever I get the chance, so I made a few swaps and came out with one of my favorite sauces to date.
As soon as the chicken comes out of the oven, brush the hot honey over the warm chicken and allow it to soak into the crunchy coating. Then eat.
It. Is. SO. GOOD.
And I swear, you can’t even tell it’s not fried.
When I finally had the chicken perfected, I sent the leftovers home with my brother knowing he’d love them. Thing is, you can’t trust brothers to do anything because the chicken somehow managed to get burnt in the oven while re-heating. Either he burned it or my dad did, the stories are unclear, but either way, no one got any of this delicious chicken…well at least not the way it was intended to be eaten.
YES. Totally serious. My family everyone. I love um, but man they cannot cook.
Oh well, bottom line is that this chicken is delicious and you really need to give it a try. Today, tomorrow, this weekend, or maybe even this summer. This chicken would be perfect for warm picnics and summer parties.
Or how about all of the above?
If you make this Oven Fried Chicken and love it, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love, love, love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this chicken, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! I love looking at the photos of recipes you all have made. It makes my day!
Watch the How To Video:
Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 651 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs (you can use skin on or off, but I used skin off)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cups finely crushed corn flakes
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Hot Honey
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Add the chicken to a gallon size zip top bag. Pour the buttermilk and salt over the chicken. Toss well, cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or overnight.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.3. Add the corn flake crumbs, flour, thyme, and a pinch of salt to a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.4. Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Lightly brush the chicken with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip the chicken over and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. If using thighs, you may need to cook the chicken a little longer 5. Meanwhile, make the hot honey. Melt together the butter, honey, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. 5. Brush or drizzle the chicken generously with hot honey and serve warm Enjoy!
Sounds good to me.
This post was originally published on May 2, 2018
This chicken is so so so so good. I made it for a small dinner party last night and everyone was raving… I realized I probably should have doubled the recipe haha. your recipes literally never disappoint, I am so grateful for your hard work and how much energy you put into making recipes that literally never fail me!!!!
Wow that is so amazing! I am really glad this was such a hit with everyone, Steph! Thank you for trying it out! xTieghan
Do think this would work in an air fryer?
Hi Rachel,
So sorry, I do not own an air fryer so I’ve not tested this, but other followers have said it works well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made this tonight and drizzled the olive oil like you recommended to others, and the crust came out soggy. Should I have dried the chicken off after taking it out of the buttermilk? I threw the chicken breast in the air fryer to hopefully make it crispy. But the sauce is amazing!!!! Can’t wait to eat it all together!
Hi Heather,
So sorry you had issues with the crust. It is important to let the buttermilk drip off and then press the coating on the chicken. The olive oil is key and it helps to flip the chicken half way through the baking time. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
These are great and we love making them! any tips to help prevent the flour/corn flakes from sloughing off when flipping?
Hi Kelli,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. Make sure you press the corn flakes onto the chicken to prevent them from falling off. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Making this tonight!! What sides would you recommend with it?
Hi Heather,
My family loves white rice and a big salad with this chicken. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love this recipe – I’ve been making it for a month straight! it came out perfectly the first few times but lately, when I’ve been making it, the corn flake crust ends up becoming soggy. I’m not sure what I’m doing differently – any suggestions on what to do about this or what may be causing it?
Hi Karen,
So sorry about this, not sure what you are doing differently compared to the first time. Are you adjusting the recipe at all? I would recommend a drizzle of olive oil to help with the crunch. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My partner was so excited when he found this recipe. He has a lot of dietary restrictions, and finding a fun recipe that we can enjoy is sometimes hard. For a date night, we decided to give this a try, and was it ever a hit! It screams of summer, and with some roasted vegetables we had one of the most delicious date nights yet! Since we had this we’ve made it several more times and its always perfect! Thanks a ton!
Thank you so much Elizabeth! I am really glad this turned out so well for you all! I hope you continue to love my recipes! xTieghan
This was a huge hit — loved how crunchy the cornflake crust is! Also, the buttermilk makes the chicken soooo moist, which is always a complaint from me about chicken breasts. I made this with your jalapeno cheddar biscuits for a comfort food dinner and both recipes are definitely going into our regular rotation.
Thank you Taylor! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Second time making these last night – put them on potato rolls for a ‘fried’ chicken sandwich and OMG so delish. Another total win from Tieghan!
Aw you are too kind!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Sarah! xTieghan
Thank you for this recipe! It has become a house favorite! 🙂
Thank you!! xTieghan
What would you serve as a side dish? Though if this turns out as good as yours looks, I may not need one! Thanks!
Hi Alina,
My family loves white rice and a salad with this chicken! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Yum!! How do you keep the breading on the chicken from getting soggy?? Any tips??
Hi Kayla,
I recommend drizzling with olive oil before placing in the oven. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is insanely good! Should have made double the size!!! So crispy…
Thank you so much!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This easy recipe is now a family favorite! Thank you for breaking down KFC Nashville hot tenders!
Mona
Thank you Mona!! xTieghan
My grandfather used to make oven fried chicken (Italian style) that was beyond yummy so this recipe caught my eye when it was shared to a Facebook group that I’m in. I’m not a corn flake fan, so I used a toasted oat flake (Trader Joe’s brand), crushed in the food processor. That made this chicken nice and crunchy, even cold out of the fridge ! I loved this so much that I’ve made it twice already ! The second time, I added a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a teaspoon of salt in with the crumb mixture. Yum ! Also I made a less spicy version of the honey sauce and it’s so good you can practically drink it LOL Please feel free to share it in your recipe above if you’d like ! Here is my recipe for the sauce: 4 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Melt the butter in the microwave, stir in the honey and seasonings and pop back in for 30 seconds. Mix well, pour over chicken and serve as a dipping sauce on the side.
Hi Stacey! I am so glad you tried this one!! I might just have to try oat flake… so interesting! Thank you for sharing the honey as well!! xTieghan