Get ready for the crunch heard ’round the kitchen! If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you know that hot honey is having a significant moment. In fact, Forbes even identified it as a breakout ingredient for 2025, and for good reason. The combination of sticky sweetness and spicy heat is totally addictive, appealing to everyone from adventurous eaters to kids who love a good chicken tender.
I was inspired to whip this up after a frantic Tuesday when I needed a “win” for dinner, something that felt like takeout but didn’t leave me feeling heavy. This baked, crunchy hot honey chicken was the answer. It’s definitely one of those dinners that became “everyone’s favorite recipe” almost instantly. While I love fried chicken, I don’t love the oil splatter or the cleanup. This recipe yields a golden, shatteringly crisp crust right in the oven, reducing the cook time to just 25 minutes. It’s a healthier baked alternative that sacrifices absolutely zero flavor.
Table of Contents
Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1½ to 1¾ lbs chicken tenders or chicken breasts sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Coating:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 cups cornflakes cereal crushed
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for extra heat
- Olive oil for drizzling
For the Finish:
- Hot honey Mike’s Hot Honey or homemade
- Ranch dressing or honey mustard for dipping
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken tenders completely dry with paper towels. This crucial step ensures the coating adheres perfectly. If desired, lightly season the chicken directly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Set Up Dredging Stations: Arrange three shallow bowls in a line.
- Bowl 1: Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Bowl 2: Whisk the eggs until smooth (optional: add a splash of hot sauce).
- Bowl 3: Place cornflakes in a large ziplock bag and crush to a coarse consistency, then mix in cayenne pepper in the bowl.
- Coat the Chicken: Dredge each chicken tender in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg mixture, then press firmly into the crushed cornflakes to ensure the coating adheres evenly.
- Bake: Place coated tenders on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or wire rack set over a sheet for extra crispiness). Drizzle tops lightly with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Finish & Serve: Remove from oven and immediately drizzle generously with hot honey while piping hot. Serve with ranch or honey mustard.
Notes
- Extra Crunch: For the crispiest bottom, bake the tenders on a wire cooling rack placed on top of your baking sheet. This allows hot air to circulate underneath.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F to crisp the coating back up.
- Make it Spicy: If you love heat, add extra cayenne to the flour mix or use a spicy chili-infused honey.
Nutrition
Ingredients You’ll Need
To achieve the perfect “fried” texture without a fryer, we rely on a few pantry staples. Here is precisely what you need to grab:
- 1½ to 1¾ lbs chicken tenders or chicken breasts (sliced into strips)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 cups cornflakes cereal
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- Hot honey (Mike’s Hot Honey or your favorite brand)
- Ranch dressing or honey mustard (for dipping)
How to Make Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken
This hot honey chicken recipe is designed for speed and ease of preparation. The secret lies in the double-coating technique, which guarantees that extra crunch we all crave.
1. Prep the Chicken
First things first: Preheat your oven to 400°F. While that warms up, pat your chicken tenders completely dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step. If the chicken is wet, the coating slides right off, so take the extra thirty seconds to do this! If you want flavor that really packs a punch, you can lightly season the chicken directly with a pinch of salt and pepper right now.
2. Set Up Dredging Stations
Organization is key to a stress-free cooking experience. Arrange three shallow bowls in a line on your counter:
- Bowl 1: Combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. This seasoned flour creates a flavorful foundation that sticks to the meat.
- Bowl 2: Whisk the eggs until they are smooth and creamy. (I sometimes add a splash of hot sauce here for an extra kick!).
- Bowl 3: Place your cornflakes in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You want a coarse consistency, think “crunchy bits,” not “dust.” Transfer these to the bowl and mix in the cayenne pepper, if using.
3. Coat the Chicken
Now for the fun part. Dredge each chicken tender in the seasoned flour first, shaking off any excess powder. Next, dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, letting the drippy excess fall back into the bowl. Finally, press the chicken firmly into the cornflake crusted chicken mixture. Don’t be shy here; use your hands to press down so the coating adheres evenly and covers every spot.
4. Bake to Golden Perfection
Place your coated tenders on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you have a wire rack, using it over the baking sheet is a game-changer for airflow and maximum crispiness. Drizzle the tops lightly with olive oil to help them brown beautifully. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
5. The Hot Honey Finish
Remove the tenders from the oven and immediately drizzle them generously with hot honey while they are still piping hot. The heat helps the glaze soak in just enough to be sticky without making the crust soggy. Serve them up with ranch or honey mustard and watch them disappear!
Tips & Variations for the Best Crunch
This easy weeknight chicken dinner is super forgiving, but here are a few tricks I’ve learned along the way to make it even better.
- The “Wet Hand/Dry Hand” Method: When dredging, keep one hand designated for wet ingredients (such as eggs) and one for dry ingredients (like flour/cornflakes). It keeps your fingers from becoming a sticky, breaded mess!
- Maximize the Crunch: If you really want that “fried” texture, you can broil the chicken for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Just keep a close eye on it because cornflakes can burn quickly.
- Homemade Sauce: While I love using Mike’s Hot Honey as a shortcut, making a homemade hot honey sauce is super easy. Warm up regular honey in a small saucepan and infuse it with chili flakes or a dash of cayenne. It’s better than store-bought because you can control the heat level exactly to your liking.
- Cut Options: You can absolutely use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you prefer dark meat. Thighs stay incredibly juicy, though you might need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.
What to Serve With Hot Honey Chicken
Since the Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken brings the heat and the sweet, you want sides that offer a nice balance. This recipe pairs beautifully with fresh, cooling flavors or roasted classics.
- Creamy Coleslaw: The cool creaminess of a good slaw cuts right through the spicy honey glaze. It’s the perfect temperature contrast.
- Roasted Broccoli: Since your oven is already hot at 400°F, add a pan of broccoli or green beans to the lower rack. It brings the whole meal together as a seamless sheet-pan dinner.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes: For pure comfort food season vibes, serve these crispy tenders over a bed of fluffy mash. The honey drizzle that gets on the potatoes is a happy accident you won’t regret.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes honey chicken crispy?
The secret to this recipe isn’t the oil, it’s the cornflakes! Using a cornflake coating creates a shattered, crunchy texture that mimics deep frying much better than standard breadcrumbs. Plus, baking at a high heat (400°F) ensures the coating crisps up rather than steams.
Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400 in the oven?
For crispy baked chicken tenders, 400°F is the ideal temperature. A higher temperature shocks the coating into becoming crispy quickly, sealing the juices inside the chicken. If you bake at 350°F, the chicken tends to dry out before the crust gets that golden crunch we’re after.
How to get chicken crispy when baking?
Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Always pat your chicken completely dry before starting. Also, try baking the tenders on a wire rack set over your baking sheet. This allows the hot air to circulate under the chicken, preventing the bottom from getting soggy.
Conclusion
There you have it, a Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken that feels like a treat but fits perfectly into a busy schedule. It captures that trendy sweet-heat flavor profile while keeping things light, crispy, and totally manageable for a weeknight.
I really hope this becomes a staple in your kitchen rotation. If you whip this up, I’d love to hear how it went! Did you make your own sauce or stick with the store-bought favorite? Please let me know in the comments below, or tag me in your photos. Seeing your creations makes my day. Happy cooking!
