Baked Hot Honey Chicken
Crispy, golden, and coated in a sweet-and-spicy glaze, this Baked Crispy Hot Honey Chicken delivers big flavor without the mess of deep frying. Juicy chicken is coated in a crunchy crust, baked until crisp, then drizzled with warm hot honey for the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. It’s an easy, family-friendly dinner that feels a little indulgent but comes together right in the oven.
Serve it with roasted veggies, a fresh salad, or over rice for a simple, satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy without frying: Oven-baked with a crunchy coating.
- Sweet and spicy flavor: Hot honey adds the perfect kick.
- Easy weeknight dinner: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps.
- Family friendly: Adjust the heat level to suit your taste.
What You Need for Baked Hot Honey Chicken
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Crunchy Coating
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
Hot Honey Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken
1. Marinate the chicken
In a bowl, combine buttermilk, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20–30 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator).
2. Prepare the oven and pan
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray.
3. Make the coating
In a shallow bowl, mix the panko, flour, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.
4. Coat the chicken
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off.
Dip each piece into the beaten eggs, then press into the breadcrumb mixture, coating well on all sides.
5. Bake
Place the coated chicken on the prepared rack. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray to help them crisp.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden and crunchy.
6. Make the hot honey
While the chicken bakes, combine the honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter in a small saucepan.
Warm over low heat until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth. Do not boil.
7. Serve
Drizzle the hot honey over the baked chicken or serve it on the side for dipping.
Tips for the Best Crunchy Baked Chicken
- Use panko breadcrumbs for the crispiest texture.
- Bake on a wire rack so hot air circulates around the chicken. This is optional, but it is recommended.
- Lightly spray the coating with oil to help it brown.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—give each piece space.
Variations
- Extra spicy: Add more hot sauce or cayenne to the coating.
- Milder version: Use less hot sauce or skip the pepper flakes.
- Air fryer: Cook at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.
What to Serve With Hot Honey Chicken
This hot honey chicken is amazing, and can be served on a bun with crispy baked hot honey chicken, slaw, pickles, etc. Serve it as is with delicious sides, or chunk it up and top a salad.
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Coleslaw
- Buttered corn
- Rice or mashed potatoes
- Simple green salad
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
- Freeze: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven.
Baked Hot Honey Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Salt and pepper
Breading
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Egg Mixture
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Hot Honey Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Trim and pound your chicken so it is even, and only about 1 cm thick. In a bowl, combine buttermilk, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20–30 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator).
Prepare the oven and pan
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray.
Make the coating
- In a shallow bowl, mix the panko, flour, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with salt, and pepper.
Coat the chicken
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off.
- Dip each piece into the beaten eggs, then press into the breadcrumb mixture, coating well on all sides.
Bake
- Place the coated chicken on the prepared rack. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray to help them crisp.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden and crunchy.
Make the hot honey
- While the chicken bakes, combine the honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter in a small saucepan.
- Warm over low heat until the butter melts and the sauce is smooth. Do not boil.
Serve
- Drizzle the hot honey over the baked chicken or serve it on the side for dipping.
- Optional: Return to oven on broil (high) and broil for 3-4 minutes to caramelize the hot honey sauce onto the baked chicken.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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