Hot Honey Chicken is the best oven fried chicken recipe with a kick! Crispy chicken tenders baked to perfection and then covered in a delicious sweet and spicy sauce. They are juicy on the inside with the perfect crunch on the outside.
Easy Baked Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
It’s common to think of a deep fryer when you are thinking about crispy chicken. The hot oil fries it to a perfect golden brown while keeping the meat tender on the inside. You can also bake crispy honey chicken to perfection in your oven and I am going to show you how.
The key ingredient here are the cornflakes. They provide the best and crunchiest coating possible. The addition of the parmesan cheese with the spices adds plenty of flavor without becoming overly salty.
When it comes to the hot honey sauce, you can adjust it to your liking. I love Frank’s red hot but you can use any brand you like! The result is a perfectly balanced sauce with just the right amount of spice that’s sticky from the honey. It clings to the crispy chicken so well. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients needed for both the chicken and the hot honey sauce. They are easy ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
For the Chicken
- Cornflakes: This gives you a super crispy coating.
- Parmesan Cheese
- Smoked Paprika, Onion Powder and Garlic Powder
- Eggs
- Hot Sauce: Mixing hot sauce with the eggs gives you another layer of flavor.
- Chicken Tenderloins
- Olive Oil: This is going to help give the chicken color as it bakes. You can use vegetable oil, too.
For the Hot Honey Sauce
- Honey: Any brand of honey works great.
- Hot Sauce: I use Frank’s but pick your favorite.
- Cayenne Pepper, Garlic Powder and Onion Powder
- Salt
- Parsley: An optional fresh garnish.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken
This is a super simple recipe that you are going to want to add to your normal dinner rotation!
- Prep the Oven and Baking Sheet. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment.
- Make the Coating. Add cornflakes, parmesan, and seasonings to a food processor. Pulse until you have crumbs.
- Make the Egg Mixture. Whisk eggs and hot sauce in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Coat the Chicken. Dip each chicken tender in the egg and then the cornflake coating and place it on the pan. Repeat until all the chicken is dredged.
- Add Oil. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The tenders should be golden brown.
- Make the Sauce. While the chicken is cooking, add all of your sauce ingredients to a small saucepan. Whisk together over medium heat until fully combined.
- Drizzle the Sauce. Once the chicken is out of the oven, drizzle the sauce over it while hot.
- Serve. Enjoy with your favorite side and extra sauce!
What to Serve With Crispy Honey Chicken
- Mac and Cheese: This is a classic side dish. Try Stovetop Mac and Cheese or White Cheddar Mac and Cheese.
- Potatoes: French fries, Duck Fat Potatoes, or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are great with this hot honey chicken.
- Veggies: Roasted asparagus, Marinated Vegetable Salad, or Creamed Corn with Bacon if you want to add some vegetables to your meal.
Tips and Tricks
- Spice Level: Omit the cayenne pepper from the sauce, use more or less hot sauce, etc. You can choose to use a chili powder for a deeper flavor. Adjust according to how much spice you enjoy.
- Air Fryer or Deep Fry: This spicy honey chicken can also be made in the air fryer or fried in oil.
- Coating: I love crushed cornflakes but you can also use panko breadcrumbs instead.
- Double Dip: For a thicker coating you can dip the chicken tenders in the egg and cornflakes a second time.
- Use a Ziploc Bag. No food processor? No problem! Add the coating ingredients to a ziploc bag and crush with your hands or a rolling pin.
How to Store Leftovers
Store any extra hot honey chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I do not recommend freezing leftovers as it will compromise the texture of the coating and the sauce.
More Crispy Chicken Recipes
- Popcorn Chicken
- Nashville Chicken
- Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Recipe
- Instant Pot Orange Chicken
- Doritos Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Hot Honey Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 6 cups cornflakes
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
- In a food processor combine the cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Pulse until you have crumbs.
- Dump the crumbs into a bowl. In another bowl add the eggs and whisk them, then add the hot sauce and stir. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then place the chicken in the crumb bowl and fully coat the chicken on either side, place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
- Drizzle the chicken with oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until all crispy and a golden color.
- In a small saucepan combine the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, onion powder and garlic powder and stir until completely melted.
- Once the chicken is out, drizzle the hot honey mixture all over the baked chicken, top with chopped parsley if you’d like and serve!
Last Step:
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