Next Post
Baked Egg Crepes with Spring Herbs and Avocado.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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
I made this today and it wasa big hit. I’ll be making it again for sure. Thank you!
I am so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you Fiona!
This chicken looks divine! I think I
may be able to conquer this. Thanks!
I hope it turns out amazing for you! Thanks Melissa!
How far apart do you recommend spacing the individual pieces of chicken on the pan(s)?
I do about 1 1/2-2 inch apart. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I made this for dinner last night – outstanding!!! I followed as written and wouldn’t change a thing. Everyone raved! I also made a second sauce of just honey, butter and a pinch of salt for the youngest 2 as I worried about the spice and that was deli ious as well. This is going in our regular rotation. Thank you Tieghan!!
Awh I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Cindy!
I made this the other night for my husband. I am not a fan of spicy food, so he was surprised! He said, “This is the spiciest thing you’ve ever made!” I told him I added all the spices you called for in the recipe and he said he loved it! And he loved it so much that he asked to eat the leftovers the next night! Win-win!
Wow!! I am so happy to hear that Suzi! Thank you!
Hey Tieghan,
Hope this finds you ready to begin Friday mode and side note : Always enjoy your blog and the beautiful photographs!
Quick question, just wondering how crucial is the whole wheat flour to the recipe?
Best,
Anne
HI! the flour helps with fully coating the chicken and helps the sauce stick to the chicken. That said, you should be able to leave it out and still have great chicken. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Ohhhhh myyyy! I would have made this already but it is currently 90 degrees in nyc and only a masochist would even think of turning on the oven in nyc heat. This is really tempting though. definitely on my to cook list for this weekend when spring comes back to a more seasonal temp! Gorgeous photos!
Thank you so much! I hope you love this when the weather cools down a bit.. but honestly 90 degrees sounds pretty nice!
This was FANTASTIC! I made it for dinner tonight and my husband and son loved it. So, so good!
Thank you so much Sheila! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
Made this last night and it turned out wonderfully (as have all of your recipes that I have had the joy of trying!). Wanted to comment this time around since a few of your readers asked about this below: I happened to make this with chicken pieces (bone in) since the local store had a sale on whole chickens. Chopped it up into traditional parts (legs, thighs, breasts, etc.), followed the recipe in all other aspects and am happy to report that it works really well with bone-in/skin-on/parts. I simply adjusted the cooking temperature and time accordingly (350 degrees for about an hour), which kept the crispiness extraordinaire without burning it. The honey sauce is such a flavorful gooey-ness in between the crunch; just delightful! Looking forward to your next recipe!
Hi Kore! I am so glad that you loved this recipe and thank you for commenting to let others know!
I’m all too familiar with Google and its Svengali like grip on the creative autonomy of anyone who makes a living on the internet. Google is the bane of my professional existence, as well. 😉
That said – your blog kicks ass not only because the photos are beautiful, the recipes fantastic, and the layout aesthetically pleasing – but because you are a great writer, very expressive and witty, and clearly have a passion for what you do. What makes you great is that you are NOT generic. If you have to put a few cheesy catch lines at the top of a blog post every now and again, so be it. But never stop being you – and no matter what “the man” tells you…rebel a little – or a lot. As they say, “Well behaved women rarely make history”. 😉 So tell your story!
And this recipe is now in the cue of HBH things I MUST make. That cue is getting quite long, however…
Awh thank you so much! This is such a sweet comment and it really means a lot to know that you enjoy the content I share! Thank you!
SEO professional here, Since the hummingbird update Google has gotten better about understanding synonyms. You don’t have to write the keyword exactly so. Keep your flare, use variations of keywords, but keep it natural. Happy blogging!
Thank you Gail!
This looks amazing !! I’m partial to fried chicken with bones still in it. Can I substitute the boneless chicken for drumsticks or wings ? Thanks . Can’t wait to try this recipe !!
I am sure drumsticks and wings will be great! I would cook 20 minutes longer to ensure they are cooked through. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! ?
It’s good to bear in mind that Google has a number of ranking factors, and good quality content always wins out. So keep writing posts that engage your audience, and make sense for your recipes, and you’re good – don’t overthink it 🙂 PS. This recipe looks faaaantastic and I can’t wait to try it!!!
Thank you Alice!
Love this recipe! Actually I love all your recipes! Love how tasty and healthy they all are! Can’t wait to make more!
Thank you Krista! I am so glad you liked this!
Is there anything dairy free I can substitute for the buttermilk?! Would coconut milk work?
Coconut milk will be great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂