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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!

overhead photo Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken

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.

overhead photo of Oven Fried chicken before adding sauce

close up photo of Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken

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.

side angle photo of Oven Fried Southern 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.

adding sauce to Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken

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?

angled photo of Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken that has been cut into

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

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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.

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Ingredients

Hot Honey

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!
View Recipe Comments

horizontal photo of Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken

Sounds good to me.

This post was originally published on May 2, 2018
4.33 from 1346 votes (1,055 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. 5 stars
    So so good! I used about 2.5 tsp of cayenne pepper, and didn’t have chili powder so I used a chili lime seasoning I got from Trader Joes. It was spicy, but not too overwhelming. I loved the sauce so much and will probably double the sauce recipe next time I make this. It was really good served with a brown rice & quinoa mix I got. I had it again for lunch in a sandwich with avocado spread and spinach. YUMMM

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    This dish is amazing and very easy to make! We forgot buttermilk at the store, so we missed that step. But it still turned out great! Already planning on making it again soon!

    Reply

  5. I purchased airline chicken breasts with skin on and bone in. Do I need to revise cooking time or change oven temp? Making on this snowy winter night, can’t wait!

    Reply

    1. Hey Elise,
      You can keep the oven temp the same, you may want increase your cooking time by 5-10 minutes or until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. Love your recipes and blog! I made this last night and was so excited to serve it to my family. Unfortunately, the crust came out soggy – not sure what I did wrong? I cooked it longer than indicated and did 2 sheet pans with 3 thighs each, swapping racks halfway through each side. I also couldn’t get the hot honey butter to combine – the butter separated to the top and the spices to the bottom. SOS! I cook all the time and follow recipes exactly. Would love to know anything I’m missing. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hey Kristin,
      So sorry to hear this! If the sauce separated that means it was boiled for too long. Next time just keep on the heat until just combined, this should help give you a crispy crust on the chicken. I hope this helps! xTieghan

      Reply

  7. 5 stars
    This is the best recipe I’ve tried recently! The hot honey butter is truly fantastic. I didn’t have cornflakes so I used bread crumbs instead and it turned out perfectly.

    Reply

    1. Hey there,
      Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Family favorite! My son and I love the spicy honey butter, my mom loves it without. I made it for the 3rd time on Wednesday, finished the tiny bit of leftovers Thursday, now it’s Friday and I want to make it again. Do you think crushed corn Chex would be similar? The gluten free corn flakes are expensive and I can’t find the honey version of Nature’s Path anywhere anymore (I much prefer that over their fruit juice corn flakes).

    Reply

    1. Hey Amy,
      Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Sure, I think crushed corn Chex could work as well. Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Barbara,
      The butter is what really adds the flavor to the sauce, you could try olive oil, I just don’t know that you will have the same results. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. Hi! I made this last night and the flavor was amazing but all of the crispy breading/cornflakes stuck to my parchment paper to the point that some of chicken pieces were totally bare by the time I got them on a plate. Any suggestions how to avoid that? Thanks!

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    DELICIOUS! I used bone-in skin on thighs but otherwise followed the recipe. I left in buttermilk for about 8 hours. I baked for 1 hour to ensure fully cooked and browned, turning 30 minutes in and required two baking sheets cause the thighs were pretty large. My teens loved. The chicken was good before applying but the hot honey takes to a WHOLE other level. I particularly loved the skin, yu-mmy! Quick, easy and minimal clean-up.

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    This was so good! Do you have a recommendation for the best honey to use? I used a standard costco “honey bear” but I think it probably wasn’t the best choice.

    Reply

    1. Hey Michelle,
      I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! I get my honey from Whole Foods or Thrive Market. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan

      Reply

  13. 5 stars
    This ticks all the boxes! Delicious, easy, health-ish, and with meat prices the way they are, relatively inexpensive. My picky eater loved it and asked that I fix it next week again. Thank you for helping me out of the chicken rut.

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Hi Tieghan. You really hit the ball out of the park with this one! It was the best meal I have had in a long time! My husband said the same. I have been cooking and baking for years, but have never run across such tasty recipes, as yours. You truly have a gift. Thank you so much and keep them coming.

    Reply

    1. Hey Shanaya,
      I haven’t tested this with tofu, but you could certainly give it a try! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan

      Reply