Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken
Okay, let me tell you how this Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken goes down in my house
I’ll be honest—this recipe came out of one of those frantic weekday evenings where the hangry moods were peaking. I wanted crispy Chicken, but, like, without bathing my kitchen in oil splatter. So baked it was, with a little hot honey twist that I’d totally love to take full credit for but actually saw on some viral video. Besides, anything crispy and a tiny bit spicy gets bonus points around here (though my daughter claims it’s too spicy—but she eats ketchup with a spoon, so take that with a pinch of salt). Anyway, the first time I made this, my brother hovered around the kitchen so much I threatened to lock the oven. Glad I didn’t, because leftovers = amazing cold next day chicken salad!
Why I keep making this – aka, “it’s gone before it cools down”
I make this when we’re bored of boring. Seriously, Friday nights, game days, even random Wednesdays when I want to use up the half-empty honey bottle that’s threatening to crystallize. My family goes a bit wild for anything that crackles when you bite it (who doesn’t?), especially when the honey drips just a bit onto their rice. Plus, no one misses deep frying (and the disaster-factor for me personally is way lower). Sometimes the crust falls off a little—annoying—but honestly, folks eat the crumbs with a spoon.
Grab these things (but don’t stress if you’re missing one)
- Chicken: 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I sometimes do breasts, but thighs are juicier and cheaper where I live)
- Buttermilk: 1 cup (milk + a big squeeze of lemon works too, if you’re out)
- Panko breadcrumbs: About a cup and a half (regular breadcrumbs are fine; my grandmother swore by crusty white bread torn up—try it if you’re feeling old school)
- Flour: 1/2 cup (any all-purpose one, but, on a lazy day, I’ve just gone straight to breading)
- Eggs: 2, for dipping (no eggs? Use a bit more buttermilk, it’ll stick okay…ish)
- Hot sauce: A couple of tablespoons (Frank’s, sriracha, or whatever heat you like—sometimes I mix, for kicks)
- Honey: 1/3 cup (sometimes more because you know, you only live once… YOLO as the kids say?)
- Butter: 2 tablespoons (for making the hot honey that much richer)
- Spices: Paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper—just eyeball ’em; some days I get heavy handed, some days, not so much
- Optional: A little cayenne or chili powder if you want to up the heat. Smoked paprika is chef’s kiss.
Let’s get messy! Here are my not-so-perfect directions:
- Set-Up: Preheat your oven to 425°F—no need to be precise, but hotter is better for crispiness. Line a biggish baking sheet with parchment or foil (depends what’s clean) or even just oil up the pan directly if you hate waste.
- Bathe the Chicken: Dump your chicken pieces in a bowl with the buttermilk and a healthy squirt (is that a word for cooking?) of hot sauce. Mix it up. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes; longer if you can, but I’ve rushed it and honestly not noticed much difference. This is where I usually answer an email or make a cup of tea—your call.
- Mix the Breadings: In one shallow bowl-ish dish, combine your flour and spices. In another, beat the eggs. In a third, dump out your panko. Set them up like a little assembly line—it makes less mess, allegedly.
- Dredge and Coat: Take the chicken form the marinade, letting the extra buttermilk drip off, then dunk into the flour first (for extra crunch). Then eggs, then a big cozy pile of panko. Press it on so it’s really coated—this is where things get sticky and fun, so just wash your hands after, or don’t (totally kidding, wash ’em).
- Arrange and Spray: Lay the pieces on the tray. Give ’em a spritz of olive oil/canola/oil-in-a-can (or just drizzle lightly). Don’t stress if some bits look patchy, it always sorts itself out in the oven.
- Bake: Pop in the hot oven. Set a timer for about 23 minutes. Flip the chicken at the halfway mark so both sides get crunchy. Chicken’s done when it smells too good to resist and the crust is golden and not sad-grey.
- Make Hot Honey: In a tiny saucepan (or microwave bowl if I’m feeling very lazy), melt butter, pour in honey, add some hot sauce, stir it around until it’s bubbling a bit. Taste it—careful, it’s like sugar napalm. Adjust heat to your liking. Sometimes I literally just mix honey and hot sauce if I don’t want to do dishes; it’s still good.
- Drizzle: Pour the hot honey over the chicken right when it comes out. Or serve on the side (though I find it’s better straight out of the oven, lets it soak in, you know?).
Notes that cost me a few disasters (and one weirdly sticky oven mitt)
- The crust will fall off here and there, it’s fine. The crumbs make a great topping for salads or even tossed back onto the tray for a sneaky crisp bite.
- If it looks too pale, leave it a bit longer. But if I tried to broil it for crunch once and forgot—the honey will burn fast. Set a timer or risked burnt sugar smell for a week.
- Actual hot honey brands are nice but not essential—homemade tastes fresh, plus, you can crank the heat up or down.
- Baking rack? Great. But I usually skip and use a regular tray—it steams a bit on the bottom but still plenty crunchy, especially if you flip.
Variations I’ve (mostly) survived
- Air fryer trial: Way crispier, but I could barely fit two pieces at a time. Good if you’re cooking for one and like standing around.
- Lemon zest in the panko: Fresh and zippy! I’d do this if I had a lemon to hand. Honestly, not essential.
- Cornflakes instead of panko: Super crunchy. But, warning: anything not crushed small enough burns quick.
- Maple syrup experiment: Yeah, don’t bother. Kind of a weird flavor clash, but YMMV, as they say.
You don’t need fancy gadgets, really
If you’ve got a baking tray and an oven, you’re set. Sure, a wire rack means crispier bottoms. But in a pinch, I put a few crumpled balls of foil under the parchment, and it (sort of) works. Mixing bowls—just use any Tupperware you’ve got. Sometimes I use clean hands for everything, which might horrify professionals (shrug).
How to keep the leftovers (but they never last long, tbh)
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you actually have leftovers. Actually, I think it tastes better the next day—cold with chips or in a sandwich—though it does lose a little crunch. For reheating, I stick ’em under the grill for 3 min, or just eat cold for midnight fridge raids.
Here’s how my lot like to eat it (but you do you)
We usually pile the chicken on a heap of rice, drizzle more hot honey, and maybe chase it with pickles. My cousin puts hers in a toasted bun with slaw, and one time I used it for tacos and it was the opposite of a mistake. Soggy leftovers? Chop them over a salad with extra sauce. Oh, and there’s a running joke in my family about hiding the last piece in the bread box (don’t ask).
Stuff I learned the hard way
- I once tried to skip the flour step. Disaster—everything slid off like a slip n’ slide. Don’t do it.
- Don’t pour the hot honey on before baking. It bakes so fast and just makes the crust soggy and sad. Ask me how I know. (On second thought, don’t.)
- If you rush the breading, the panko won’t stick; just take those extra seconds and squish it on. Worth it.
You guys actually asked (or texted me at midnight)…
- Can I make this less spicy for the kids?
- Totally! Just skip or dial way back on the hot sauce, and maybe add a pinch more honey. My own lot like it mild—apart from my uncle who wants more heat every time.
- Can I use bone-in chicken?
- Yep, but you’ll need to up the bake time. Try 35-40 minutes and check for doneness. Honestly though, boneless is just easier and less faff for weeknights.
- Any tips for gluten-free?
- Yes! Just use GF flour and breadcrumbs. I sometimes use crushed Rice Chex (not sponsored, promise) and it’s surprisingly good.
- Can I prep ahead?
- You can bread the chicken earlier, store it on a tray in the fridge, but don’t add hot honey until baking/serving time, or it’ll get soggy and, well, slightly sad looking.
- Do I have to measure exactly?
- Not really—after you’ve made it once, you’ll see it’s more about texture than numbers. Add more panko if it looks thin, more egg if things are dry, that kind of jam.
If you try this and fall head over heels for crunchy, sticky, a-little-sweet, a-little-hot chicken, you’re officially my kind of person. Next time, I should probably tell you about my one-pan garlic potatoes—but that’s a kitchen story for another day.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat the wire rack with nonstick spray and set on the baking sheet.
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2Pound chicken breasts to even thickness if needed. Place in a bowl with buttermilk and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
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3In a shallow dish, mix panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
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4Coat marinated chicken breasts in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place on prepared rack.
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5Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray. Bake 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway, until coating is golden and chicken is cooked through.
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6Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine honey, hot sauce, and melted butter. Drizzle hot honey sauce over baked chicken before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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