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Your new favorite chicken recipe. This hot honey chicken is perfectly crispy and coated in a honey glaze that packs a punch! Honey, hot sauce, chili flakes, and garlic make the flavor so addictive, you wonโt be able to get enough.
Fried chicken is the BEST comfort food. And if youโve never tried making it at home, you really need to! Along with this hot honey chicken, youโll have to try this recipe for chicken and waffles, or air fryer โfriedโ chicken if you want something in a snap!
Crispy Hot Honey Chicken
This fried hot honey chicken is an absolute flavor bomb that you donโt want to miss out on! First youโve got these tasty chicken cutlets that get ultra-tender from being soaked in buttermilk. Then theyโre coated in flour and panko breadcrumbs for the perfect crispy shell. But hereโs the best part- you donโt need to fry the chicken in oil to achieve crunchy, golden brown deliciousness. This hot honey chicken is oven-baked but tastes just as good as regular fried chicken! Crispy, flavorful chicken without the fuss of deep frying. (And without all those saturated fats.)
Letโs talk about this sauce, though. So simple, but seriously amazing. I used Frankโs Hot Sauce for some heat, honey for that sticky-sweet effect, garlic (because garlic is always the answer,) and red pepper flakes for a little extra flavor in each bite. Good news is, you can swap out the Frankโs for any kind of hot sauce that you like to make it your own. Thatโs the beauty of making hot chicken at home! If youโre not already convinced, Iโve also included instructions on making your chicken in the air fryer so you can enjoy this recipe even if youโre short on time.
Ingredients for Hot Honey Chicken
To make the best hot honey chicken, you need to check all these boxes: thin and tender chicken cutlets, a crispy breading, and of course, a mouthwatering sauce thatโs packed with flavor. Letโs dive into what each ingredient does in this recipe:
- Chicken Cutlets: These become incredibly tender when soaked in buttermilk, which also adds a subtle tangy flavor. Pat them dry before coating for the best results. You can also use chicken breasts, just cut them in half horizontally so theyโre nice and thin.
- Flour and Panko Breadcrumbs: This combo gives your hot honey chicken that irresistible crunch. Make sure to coat the chicken thoroughly for a crispy shell thatโs just as good as deep frying.
- Hot Honey Sauce: Itโs what takes this recipe to the next level, combining Frankโs Hot Sauce for heat, honey for sweetness, garlic for savory flavor, and red pepper flakes for more kick. Feel free to use your favorite hot sauce to customize the spice level and taste.
- Buttermilk: Soaking the chicken in buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and also helps to boost its flavor. Youโll want to let it sit for at least 30 minutes to achieve the best results. (Trust me, itโs worth it!)
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a burst of extra flavor to the sauce. Adjust the amount to taste.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken in the Oven
Once youโve got all of your ingredients ready, (exact measurements are in the recipe card below) itโs time to make some of the best chicken youโll ever try! Not only is this hot honey chicken ridiculously good, but thereโs no deep-frying involved. A win-win!
- Preheat Oven, Prep Pan: Preheat an oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sauce Mixture: Make the hot honey sauce, in a medium bowl add the honey, hot sauce, chili flakes, and garlic powder and whisk together. Then cover and set aside.
- Soak Chicken in Buttermilk: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place them into a large bowl. Add the buttermilk to the bowl and cover. Refrigerate the buttermilk soaked chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large shallow dish, add the flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
- Remove From Buttermilk: Once the chicken has set up in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes, remove it from the buttermilk bowl, one at a time, and allow any excess buttermilk to drip off.
- Coat: Place the chicken onto the flour and breadcrumb platter, coat the chicken in the breading completely.
- Transfer to Baking Sheet: Remove the chicken from the breading and then place it onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is golden all around. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After the first 20 minutes, spray or brush both sides with a little olive oil.
- Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and coat each piece generously with the hot honey sauce and enjoy! Hot honey chicken is great served on its own or used for sandwiches.
Using an Air Fryer
Want some hot honey chicken but youโre short on time? Break out your air fryer! Preheat it to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, then air fry the chicken for 15-20 minutes, or until it is golden brown and cooked through. Youโll want to work in small batches so each chicken cutlet has plenty of air flow. Your chicken wonโt be crispy if itโs too crowded.
Storing Leftover Chicken
Hot honey chicken is great left over! You can easily pop your chicken cutlets in the oven later to crisp them up again.
- In the Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with foil to prevent drying out. Pop it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until itโs heated through. This way, youโll enjoy that same crispy goodness and flavor, just like when it was fresh out of the oven!
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Hot honey sauce
For the chicken
-
Preheat an oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
-
Make the hot honey sauce, in a medium bowl add the honey, hot sauce, chili flakes, and garlic powder and whisk together. Cover and set aside.
-
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place them into a large bowl. Add the buttermilk to the bowl and cover. Refrigerate the buttermilk soaked chicken for at least 30 minutes.
-
In a large shallow dish, add the flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk together.
-
Once the chicken has set up in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes, remove it from the buttermilk bowl, one at a time, and allow any excess buttermilk to drip off.
-
Place the chicken onto the flour and breadcrumb platter, coat the chicken in the breading completely.
-
Remove the chicken from the breading and place it onto the prepared baking sheet.
-
Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is golden all around. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees fahrenheit. After the first 20 minutes, spray or brush both sides with a little olive oil.
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Remove the chicken from the oven and coat each piece generously with the hot honey sauce and enjoy!
Calories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 34gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 1485mgPotassium: 813mgFiber: 4gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 2535IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.