Description
Baked hot honey chicken delivers crispy, spicy-sweet perfection for your dinner table. Crunchy golden breading glazed with warm honey makes this weeknight meal an absolute crowd-pleaser that comes together faster than you can order takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Coating and Seasoning:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Garnish:
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare your oven space by positioning the rack in the center and heating to 400°F (200°C). Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper for effortless cleaning afterward.
- Create a clean work surface and pat each chicken piece thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This ensures a crispier coating.
- Arrange three separate shallow dishes for breading: first with 1 cup seasoned flour, second with 2 beaten eggs, and third with 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs.
- Roll each chicken piece through the seasoned flour, ensuring complete coverage. Shake off excess flour to prevent clumping.
- Dunk the floured chicken into beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. This helps breadcrumbs adhere perfectly.
- Transfer the egg-coated chicken into panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to create a thick, even coating that will turn golden and crunchy.
- Position breaded chicken pieces onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. Lightly mist with cooking spray to encourage browning.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated 400°F oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and develops a gorgeous golden-brown crust.
- While chicken bakes, prepare hot honey sauce by combining ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 tablespoon butter, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small saucepan.
- Heat sauce ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and well-combined. Add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar for a subtle tangy note.
- Remove chicken from oven and immediately drizzle with prepared hot honey sauce. Alternatively, toss chicken pieces to ensure complete coating.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts for added texture and visual appeal. Serve immediately alongside roasted vegetables or crisp salad.
Notes
- Keep the chicken pieces uniform in size for even cooking and consistent crispiness.
- For gluten-free diets, swap wheat flour with almond flour or cornstarch and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken to create a thick, crunchy coating that won’t fall off during baking.
- Adjust the hot honey sauce heat level by reducing or increasing red pepper flakes to match your personal spice preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg