This Hot Honey Chicken Recipe has it all. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk and paprika for a hint of tanginess and the perfect tender texture, breaded in cornflakes and spices for a flavorful crunchy bite, and drizzled with spicy hot honey!
Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
I like my birds crispy and drowned in some good hot honey.
But frying chicken, or just meat in general, is often too much hassle for me. Enter oven fried chicken. It’s just as crispy and satisfying, I promise.
The buttermilk and paprika marinade give you the most tender texture ever and the hot honey is literally addictive.
This chicken recipe is a gem, I promise, so if you need to wow someone or just want to treat yourself to something GOOD, try this!
Why this recipe works:
- Crispy like real fried chicken. The trick to achieving a crazy-good crispy coating is to use cornflakes and add spices to those cornflakes. The coating is perfectly crispy and flavorful as well.
- Perfect chicken marinade. Right after the crispy coating, you have the most tender chicken ever thanks to a rich buttermilk marinade seasoned with spices for extra flavor and a hint of tanginess.
- Homemade hot honey sauce. Hot, spicy, and sweet, this hot honey sauce is the perfect way to top off a batch of this oven-fried chicken!
- Easy to make. This chicken recipe is restaurant-quality but comes together in just 6 steps.
- Prep ahead! Marinate the chicken overnight and coat and bake the next day!
Hot Honey Chicken Ingredients
Chicken. I recommend boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. It also works with cutlets though you need to reduce the baking time as they cook a lot quicker!
Buttermilk for the marinade. If you don’t have some on hand you can make some by mixing 1 cup of milk (250 ml) with 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice or vinegar. Half sour cream half milk also works.
Paprika. This is the main spice used for seasoning here so make sure it’s high-quality for best flavor!
Cumin for seasoning.
Salt and pepper.
Cornflakes for that crunchy coating. I recommend using a food processor to crush them but you can also use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. The texture should be rather coarse to ensure a crunchy bite.
Flour or cornstarch for the coating.
Oil. I recommend a neutral oil such as vegetable, sunflower, or canola but peanut also works. This is one of the ingredients and steps that makes oven-frying possible (and worth it). When you brush the coated chicken with oil and bake it at a really hot temperature, you’re basically frying the coating which ensures crispiness and flavor.
Butter for the hot honey sauce.
Honey. I recommend a liquid mild-flavored honey for this.
Cayenne pepper for heat.
Chili powder for heat.
How to make Hot Honey Chicken
STEP ONE: Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken, buttermilk, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to a ziplock bag and massage until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
STEP TWO: Make the crispy coating. Preheat the oven to 425 F (210 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the crushed cornflakes, flour or cornstarch, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to a shallow bowl and mix until combined.
STEP THREE: Coat the chicken. Remove the chicken from the ziplock bag and discard the marinade. As you remove each piece of chicken from the bag, dredge it into your coating mixture and then place it onto your prepared baking sheet.
STEP FOUR: Brush with oil. Brush or drizzle each piece of your prepared chicken with oil, then place in the oven immediately. This is what makes oven-frying possible and worth it so don’t skip this step.
STEP FIVE: Bake for 10-20 minutes or until the coating is golden brown and crispy and the chicken is fully cooked through (centers should measure 165F or 73C in temperature). Flip halfway through baking time, if necessary. Depending on how thick is your chicken, baking times may vary so use your best judgment. Meanwhile, make the hot honey sauce.
STEP SIX: Make the hot honey sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, mix in the honey, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, and salt. Taste and adjust, if desired. Immediately drizzle over the top of the chicken and serve. Enjoy!
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yes. To make ahead of time, follow step 1, then place the chicken in the refrigerator and let marinate overnight. The next day, follow step 2.
How do you store oven fried chicken?
Store in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days.
How do you reheat oven fried chicken?
To reheat, brush with extra oil, and reheat in the oven at 400F (200C) for 8-10 minutes or until hot (165F or 73C) and crispy again.
The key is to reheat fast and hard so at a high temperature for a short amount of time to keep the chicken from drying out.
HAPPY BAKING!! I hope you’ll love this Hot Honey Chicken Recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More chicken recipes you’ll enjoy:
- Oven-Fried Cajun Popcorn Chicken with Chipotle Mayo
- Baked Honey Dijon Chicken
- Creamy Coconut Chicken
- Sticky Coca Cola Chicken
Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken
- 1 cup (225 ml) buttermilk (homemade buttermilk: mix 1 cup or 250 ml milk with 1 tbsp or 15 ml lemon juice or vinegar)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 cups (75 g) cornflakes
- 3 tbsp (25 g) flour or cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
For The Hot Honey Sauce
- 1/3 cup (75 g) salted butter (or unsalted butter + salt)
- 3 tbsp (55 g) liquid honey (mild flavor)
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken, buttermilk, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to a ziplock bag and massage until the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Make the crispy coating. Preheat the oven to 425 F (210 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the crushed cornflakes, flour or cornstarch, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to a shallow bowl and mix until combined.
- Coat the chicken. Remove the chicken from the ziplock bag and discard the marinade. As you remove each piece of chicken from the bag, dredge it into your coating mixture and then place it onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Brush with oil. Brush or drizzle each piece of your prepared chicken with oil, then place in the oven immediately. This is what makes oven-frying possible and worth it so don’t skip this step.
- Bake for 10-20 minutes or until the coating is golden brown and crispy and the chicken is fully cooked through (centers should measure 165F or 73C in temperature). Flip halfway through baking time, if necessary. Depending on how thick is your chicken, baking times may vary so use your best judgment. Meanwhile, make the hot honey sauce.
- Make the hot honey sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, mix in the honey, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, and salt. Taste and adjust, if desired. Immediately drizzle over the top of the chicken and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
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Dana says
Love this recipe!! I make this chicken every few weeks 😍