This oven-baked hot honey chicken recipe will become your new favorite weeknight dinner. It’s perfectly crunchy outside and irresistibly juicy inside, coated in a sweet and spicy honey glaze.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food. But deep-frying at home can be messy and time-consuming. This hot honey chicken is crispy and flavorful without the fuss, since it’s baked in the oven. Plus, the tantalizing honey sauce takes this recipe over the top.
- Crispy panko breadcrumb coating, no deep frying required
- Sweet and spicy honey glaze made with hot sauce
- Easy to customize spice level to your taste
- Also great made in the air fryer for fast meals
You’ll also love serving this chicken with waffles, in sandwiches, or on top of salads. It keeps well as leftovers too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make tender and flavorful hot honey chicken at home, you’ll need:
For the chicken:
- Chicken cutlets
- Buttermilk
- Flour
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
For the hot honey sauce:
- Honey
- Hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic powder
The buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken and boost flavor. Dipping the chicken in flour and crunchy panko gives it that crispy, golden brown exterior. The sauce brings everything together, with sweet honey, spicy hot sauce, and savory garlic.
Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions
With the right ingredients on hand, you’re ready to make this top-rated oven fried chicken!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Make honey sauce.
- Marinate: Pat chicken dry. Soak in buttermilk 30 mins.
- Bread: Mix flour, panko, spices in dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
- Bake: Arrange on baking sheet. Bake 30-35 mins until 165°F.
- Sauce: Brush chicken with olive oil halfway through. Coat baked chicken in hot honey glaze. Enjoy!
You can also use an air fryer. Cook at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, shaking basket occasionally, until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Hot honey chicken keeps well for 4 days refrigerated. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot. The panko coating crisps right back up!
Now that you’ve got all the tips for making the best crispy hot honey chicken at home, get ready to enjoy this fried chicken favorite without all the fuss and mess of frying. With an irresistibly crunchy, honey-glazed coating over tender, juicy chicken, every bite will leave you wanting more!
Crispy Oven-Baked Hot Honey Chicken
Ingredients
Hot Honey Sauce
- 1⁄2 cup honey
- 1⁄3 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Chicken & Breading
- 1 pound chicken cutlets
- 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce & Preheat Oven: Whisk together hot honey sauce ingredients. Cover & refrigerate. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Buttermilk Soak: Pat chicken dry and soak in buttermilk in a covered bowl for 30 minutes.
- Bread Chicken: In shallow dish, mix flour through black pepper. One at a time, remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then coat thoroughly in flour mixture.
- Bake: Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Bake 30-35 minutes, until 165°F internally. After 20 minutes, brush with olive oil to crisp further.
- Finish & Serve: Remove chicken from oven, coat generously with hot honey sauce. Enjoy on its own or in sandwiches, salads and more!
For Air Fryer: Cook at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, shaking basket occasionally, until 165°F internally.
