Crispy Oven-Baked Hot Honey Chicken
A perfect 25-minute weeknight dinner featuring a crunchy cornflake and Parmesan crust drizzled with a homemade spicy-sweet honey glaze. Baked, not fried, for a mess-free meal.
Ingredients
Hot Honey Sauce
- 1/2 cup honey Clover or wildflower
- 1 tbsp red-pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Chicken & Breading
- 4 medium chicken breasts 8 oz each, boneless and skinless
- 6 cups cornflakes Plain, unsweetened
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Finely grated
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder Split use
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp hot sauce Vinegar-based
- 3 large eggs Beaten well
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper To taste
Instructions
- Combine honey, red-pepper flakes, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, then remove from heat and infuse for 15 minutes. Strain through a sieve and stir in apple cider vinegar.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a mallet or rolling pin.
- Pulse cornflakes, Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt in a food processor until you have fine crumbs with some texture remaining.
- Set up a breading station: Bowl 1 with flour; Bowl 2 with eggs whisked with hot sauce; Bowl 3 with the cornflake mixture.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in egg wash, and press firmly into the cornflake mix to coat thoroughly.
- Place chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
For leftovers, reheat in an oven or air fryer at 375°F for 8 minutes to maintain the crunch. Do not microwave. Store the hot honey separately at room temperature.