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Hot Honey Chicken Recipe

4.7 from 130 reviews

This Hot Honey Chicken recipe features crispy, oven-baked chicken thighs coated in a crunchy smoked paprika and cornflake crust, topped with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze. Perfectly balanced with a touch of heat and richness, it’s an easy-to-make and crowd-pleasing dish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken

  • 5 cups corn flakes
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the Hot Honey

  • ¾ cup honey
  • 1½ tablespoons chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure easy cleanup and prevent sticking.
  2. Crush. Seal the corn flakes in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin to your preferred texture—either finely crushed or larger flakes for more crunch.
  3. Prepare to bread the chicken. In one bowl, mix together the crushed cornflakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot sauce until smooth.
  4. Bread the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to the egg mixture and toss until thoroughly coated. Then dredge each piece one by one in the cornflake mixture, pressing lightly to adhere the coating evenly. Arrange the breaded thighs on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
  5. Bake. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  6. Heat. While the chicken is baking, combine honey and chili flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat, bringing the mixture just to a boil to infuse flavors.
  7. Infuse. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of hot sauce and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Let the hot honey mixture sit for about 10 minutes to develop flavor.
  8. Serve. Drizzle the hot honey glaze generously over the baked chicken thighs and enjoy immediately for a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and crunchy.

Notes

  • For extra crispy chicken, ensure chicken thighs are patted dry before dipping in the egg wash.
  • Adjust the amount of hot sauce in the egg wash and honey glaze to control the heat level to your preference.
  • The honey glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and gently reheated before serving.
  • Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is fully cooked for safety and juiciness.

Keywords: hot honey chicken, baked chicken thighs, crispy chicken, honey chili glaze, spicy honey chicken, oven-baked chicken, cornflake crusted chicken