Description
This Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken delivers crispy, golden crusted chicken topped with a sweet‑spicy hot honey glaze — a comforting yet easy baked dish that tastes indulgent but comes together with minimal fuss.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (about 1.5 lbs total)
- 1 cup all‑purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- Hot Honey Sauce:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- Optional Garnish:
- Chopped parsley
- Sesame seeds or crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat chicken dry. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
- In a second bowl, beat the eggs. In a third bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture, then dip into the eggs, and coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Arrange breaded chicken on the baking sheet and lightly spray with oil or drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- While chicken bakes, prepare the hot honey sauce: heat honey, hot sauce, butter, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan until smooth. Optionally, stir in vinegar or lemon juice.
- Remove chicken from the oven and drizzle or brush the hot honey sauce over the top. Garnish if desired with chopped parsley, sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts. Serve warm.
Notes
- Swap panko breadcrumbs with crushed cornflakes for an even crunchier coating.
- Chicken thighs give juicier results than chicken breasts.
- Adjust spice level by varying the amount of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Add lemon zest or extra smoked paprika to the breading for more flavor nuance.
- For extra sticky glaze, toss baked chicken in the hot honey sauce rather than just drizzling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American / Comfort Food
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 3–4 oz cooked chicken + glaze)
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
