Crispy Baked Hot Honey Chicken (No Frying!)

A crispy, golden breaded chicken cutlet topped with red hot honey sauce and garnished with fresh herbs, surrounded by cornflakes, a bowl of hot honey sauce, and a spoon on a parchment-lined surface.

Crispy Baked Hot Honey Chicken (No Frying!)

Crispy, sticky, sweet heat — this is how you do hot honey chicken without frying! The chicken breasts are baked on a sheet pan with a wire rack in the oven, and the cornflake-Parmesan crust gets perfectly crunchy, with the hot honey sauce dripping over the top. It’s hard to stop at just one piece.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword hot honey chicken

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 411kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the Chicken

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper

Flour Dredge

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Egg Wash

2 large eggs 3 eggs if the chicken breasts are large
1 tablespoon hot sauce

Cornflake Coating

6 cups cornflakes crushed (mostly fine with some texture) 8 cups if the chicken breasts are large
⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Oil spray of choice

Hot Honey Sauce

½ cup honey
3 tablespoons hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Pinch salt

For Serving

Fresh thyme leaves
Flaky sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the chicken:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place a wire rack on top. Spray evenly with cooking oil, then set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then slice each breast horizontally. Using a rolling pin or mallet, pound the chicken breasts until they are even in thickness. They don’t need to be thin. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Set up your breading station and bake the chicken:

Bowl 1: Combine flour, salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Bowl 2: Combine the eggs and hot sauce.
Bowl 3: Combine the cornflakes and parmesan cheese.
Working one at a time, dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg wash, letting any excess drip off, then press firmly into the cornflake mixture to fully coat. OPTIONAL: For even extra crunch, repeat the egg and cornflake steps once more. You will need at least 8 cups of cornflakes for this.
Place the coated chicken on the prepared wire rack. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with oil, which helps the coating brown and crisp evenly.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the coating is slightly golden and the chicken is cooked through. OPTIONAL: For extra crisp edges, broil for 1–3 minutes at the end, watching closely to not let them burn.

Make the hot honey sauce:

While the chicken bakes, warm the honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer briefly, just until combined and infused.

Serve:

Drizzle the hot honey over the crispy chicken. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately on its own or with your favorite side of choice such as sweet potato fries, coleslaw, pickles, mac and cheese, or even biscuits.

Notes

Use oil spray: Oiling the rack helps prevent sticking, and spraying the chicken with oil helps ensure browning and crispness.
Cornflake texture: You’ll want a combination of fine and larger flakes for optimal crunchy texture.
Don’t overcrowd: When baking the chicken, space them out for airflow and even browning.
Sauce last: Drizzling the sauce after removing the chicken from the oven keeps it crunchy and crisp!
Broiling: If you decide to broil your chicken, keep an eye on it! Don’t walk away! Every broiler is different, so make sure to watch how fast the chicken is browning.
Want a more tangy hot honey sauce? Add in 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for more zing.
Gluten-free? Feel free to use your favorite gluten-free flour and gluten-free corn flakes substitute.

Variations

Herby: Need a herb boost? Chop up some of the thyme and add it to the cornflake mixture. You can also throw in some chopped-up rosemary as well.
Extra hot: Looking to sweat? Add 1 teaspoon or more of cayenne pepper powder to every bowl used to dredge the chicken.
Garlic-forward: Add 1-2 cloves of grated garlic to the hot honey if you’d like that extra punch.

Can I Eat This Hot or Cold?

Eat this hot out of the oven for the best experience! However, chopping up cold, crunchy chicken and putting it over a salad is also delicious. If you want to use the hot honey sauce as a “dressing,” I highly recommend adding the apple cider vinegar.

Storage, Freezing, Reheating Tips

Fridge: Store cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, store the chicken and the hot honey separately.
Freezer: Store the cooled, unsauced chicken in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months in the freezer. I recommend freezing the cooled cooked chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transferring it to your container or freezer-safe bag.
To reheat from fridge: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes.
To reheat from frozen: Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-18 minutes.
Reheating in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 4–5 minutes also works well.
I don’t recommend microwaving the chicken if you care about texture — it softens the coating quickly. But if you do, I promise not to tell anyone.
Reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, or in the microwave in 20-second intervals.

Nutrition