Description
Golden Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken features tender, juicy chicken thighs or breasts coated in a crispy cornflake crust and baked to golden perfection. The chicken is finished with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze that adds a delightful kick, making it a perfect crowd-pleaser for any meal or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 cups cornflakes, crushed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Olive oil spray or cooking spray
For the Hot Honey Glaze:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot or sriracha)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Rack: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wire rack on top and lightly spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking and promote even cooking.
- Crush Cornflakes: Crush the cornflakes finely using a food processor or by sealing them in a zip-top bag and rolling with a rolling pin until they reach a coarse crumb consistency suitable for coating.
- Mix Flour and Spices: In a shallow bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, creating the seasoned flour mixture for dredging.
- Beat Eggs: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly to create the egg wash for helping the coating adhere to the chicken.
- Prepare Cornflake Coating: Place the crushed cornflakes into a third shallow bowl, ready for the final coating step.
- Coat Chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. First, dredge each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then dip into the beaten eggs, and finally coat thoroughly with the crushed cornflakes, pressing gently to adhere the crumbs.
- Arrange for Baking: Place the coated chicken pieces onto the prepared wire rack on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with olive oil spray to aid browning and crispiness.
- Bake Chicken: Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), ensuring the chicken is fully cooked.
- Prepare Hot Honey Glaze: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir gently until the mixture is warmed through and well combined to create a flavorful glaze.
- Serve: Once the chicken is done, drizzle the hot honey glaze over the chicken or serve it on the side for dipping, adding a perfect balance of sweet heat to the crunchy chicken.
Notes
- You can use either chicken thighs or breasts depending on your preference, but thighs tend to be juicier.
- Use a wire rack on the baking sheet to ensure air circulates around the chicken, making the crust extra crispy.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and hot sauce in the glaze to control the spice level.
- For an even crispier crust, lightly spray the coated chicken with olive oil before baking.
- Leftover hot honey chicken can be reheated in the oven to retain crispiness rather than microwaving.
