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Best Baked Hot Honey Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 54 reviews

This Best Baked Hot Honey Chicken recipe features crispy cornflake-coated chicken tenders baked to golden perfection and drizzled with a spicy, sweet hot honey sauce. The crunchy coating combined with the bold flavors of cayenne, chipotle, and hot sauce creates a deliciously addictive dish perfect for a flavorful dinner or game day snack.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken Coating

  • 6 cups cornflakes cereal (gluten free if needed)
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 2 large eggs, well beaten
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 lb chicken breast tenders
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the Hot Honey Sauce

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 to 3 tbsp hot sauce
  • 1 to 3 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • Sea salt, as needed

For Garnish

  • Fresh thyme, cilantro, or parsley

Instructions

  1. Prepare the coating: Preheat your oven to 425° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the cornflakes cereal, grated parmesan, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of sea salt. Pulse until fine crumbs form. Alternatively, crush the ingredients manually in a ziplock bag by stepping on it. Transfer crumbs to a shallow bowl.
  2. Coat the chicken: In a bowl, beat the eggs and mix in 2 tablespoons of hot sauce. Add chicken tenders and toss well to coat. Dredge each chicken piece in the cornflake crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. For extra crunch, dip them again into the egg mixture and crumbs. Place coated tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Bake the chicken: Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the coated chicken to promote crispiness. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even golden crust and cooked-through chicken.
  4. Make the hot honey sauce: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, 2-3 tbsp hot sauce, cayenne pepper (1-3 tsp depending on spice preference), chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of sea salt in a small saucepot over low heat. Warm gently, stirring until fully blended and heated through. Loosen sauce in microwave for a few seconds if it thickens too much.
  5. Serve: Once chicken is cooked and crispy, drizzle the warm spicy honey sauce evenly over the tenders. Garnish with fresh thyme, cilantro, or parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy the perfect balance of sweet, heat, and crunch.

Notes

  • For a gluten-free option, ensure the cornflakes are gluten-free certified.
  • Adjust cayenne pepper in the sauce to control the spice level to your preference.
  • Extra olive oil drizzle before baking helps achieve a crispy crust without frying.
  • Double-dipping in the egg mixture and crumbs produces a thicker, crunchier coating.
  • Fresh herbs add a nice brightness that complements the spicy honey glaze.
  • Use a food processor for the easiest and most even crumb coating, but manual crushing works fine too.
  • Serve with a cooling dip like ranch or blue cheese for added contrast if desired.

Keywords: baked hot honey chicken, crispy chicken tenders, spicy honey sauce, cornflake chicken, oven baked chicken, sweet and spicy chicken

Find it online: https://freshrecipehub.com/best-baked-hot-honey-chicken-recipe/