Description
This Hot Honey Chicken recipe delivers crispy, tender chicken breasts coated with a crunchy cornflake breading and topped with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce. Perfectly baked for a crispy finish without frying, it's a flavorful and satisfying meal that combines heat, sweetness, and crunch in every bite.
Ingredients
Chicken and Breading
- 3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lbs.)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Nonstick cooking spray
- ½ cup flour (generous ½ cup)
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar (light brown sugar recommended)
- 3 large eggs (whisked very well)
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 5 cups cornflakes, crushed
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Hot Honey Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup hot sauce (Frank’s recommended)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
Instructions
- Prep Work: Begin by crushing the cornflakes using a food processor, rolling pin, or your hands until they become coarse crumbs. Prepare three shallow bowls: one with the flour mixed with brown sugar, one with whisked eggs and hot sauce, and one with the seasoned breading mixture (crushed cornflakes, paprika, salt, chili powder, pepper, cayenne pepper).
- Prepare Chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner slices. Tenderize the smooth side of the chicken pieces with a meat mallet until about ½-inch thick. Optionally, cut into smaller strips for easier eating.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (218°C) to preheat while you bread the chicken.
- Bread the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry completely and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece generously in the flour mixture. Then dip into the egg mixture, allowing excess egg to drip off to prevent soggy breading. Next, coat all sides thoroughly in the cornflake breading. For spots needing extra coverage, dip back in egg and then back into breading.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the breaded chicken pieces on a lightly greased, light-colored baking sheet. For extra crispiness, arrange oven-safe cooling racks over the baking sheet and place chicken on top. Spray the chicken generously with nonstick cooking spray to aid browning and crisping.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 15 to 16 minutes until the coating is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.
- Make Hot Honey Sauce: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir gently until the butter melts, then bring the sauce to a boil briefly before reducing heat to low to keep warm.
- Serve: Once the chicken is done baking, remove it from the oven and drizzle with the hot honey sauce. Optionally, reserve some sauce on the side for dipping. Serve immediately and enjoy the perfect balance of sweet heat and crunch.
Notes
- Using a light-colored baking sheet prevents burning the breading during baking.
- For extra crispiness, place oven-safe cooling racks on the baking sheet before baking chicken.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce in the breading and sauce to control spice level.
- This recipe is best served fresh but leftover chicken can be reheated in the oven to maintain crispness.
- Crushing cornflakes by hand is easy and gives a nice texture, but a food processor speeds up the prep.
