Hot Honey Chicken
This is the Hot Honey Chicken of your dreams! Crisp chicken baked in the oven or air fryer and then drizzled with our Homemade Hot Honey Recipe. SO GOOD! Seriously crispy chicken tenders with a sweet, sticky and spicy kick--you'll be making this over and over!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
Wet Coating
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise we use avocado oil mayo
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 lemon juiced
Dry Coating
- 3 cup cornflakes crushed
- 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoos Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
To Bake or Air Fry
- Avocado oil Spray
To Serve
- 1 hot honey RECIPE HERE
Instructions
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Start by preparing the coating. First , the dry. Crush the cornflakes in a ziploc using a rolling pin or food processor. Then add it to a shallow plate and toss the seasoning with it. Mix well and set aside.
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Now the wet. In a similar shallow plate mix in the mayo, eggs, spices, minced garlic, a squeeze of lemon and some fresh herbs if you have them! They always add a fresh touch.
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Then you're going to prepare you chicken. You can buy store bought chicken tenders and use them as is. Alternatively you can slice your chicken breasts into tenders and use them. Either way it's best to use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
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Start by placing the chicken, one at a time into the wet mixture and coat it well on all sides.
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Then remove the piece of chicken and immediately place it into the plate of cornflakes and coat it well on both sides. Press the flakes to make sure they stick.
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Baked Hot Honey Chicken
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Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Spray your baking sheet lightly with oil. We also prefer avocado oil spray here.
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Place the coated chicken in a single layer on the baking dish. This is KEY.
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Spray another spray of the oil over the chicken.
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Bake until golden, crisp and fully cooked through.
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As soon as it's ready and still hot, you're going to drizzle some of our Hot Honey Recipe over the top. Use as much or as little to your taste.
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Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken
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You don't need to preheat the air fryer as you would with an oven.
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Here we use the basket type air fryers, because they're our favorite.
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Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil.
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Likewise arrange the chicken in a SINGLE layer in the basket.
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Spray the tops of the chicken with some oil.
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Air Fry at 375 degrees until crisp, golden and cooked through.
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Remove from the air fryer and while they're still hot, drizzle some hot honey on top.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips for Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
- Have your Hot Honey Recipe made ahead of time. It keeps in the pantry for a year so make plenty of it! Use it on Salmon , Squash, Fries, Salad, anything!
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts which you can cut up into tender size pieces if you can't find chicken tenders.
- Make sure your chicken is all the same size so it cooks evenly.
- Adding Mayonnaise to the coating makes the chicken breasts super juicy!
- The cornflakes is best when crushed before coating the chicken. you can use a food processor or a rolling pin and ziploc.
- Make sure to cook the chicken ALWAYS in a single layer. This applies to oven or air fryer method.
- While both oven and air fryer hot honey chicken are the same, we slightly prefer the air fryer as it cooks faster.
- Drizzle the hot honey over the cooked chicken tenders while they're still HOT. This helps them soak in all the sauce.
- Serve right away as or make the Nashville style hot honey chicken sandwich as shown below.
Choosing the Best Chicken
The type of chicken affects the final texture.
- Chicken Thighs: Juicier and more flavorful, ideal for frying.
- Chicken Breasts: Lean but still tender when cooked properly.
- Chicken Tenders: Convenient and cook quickly.
Look for chicken that is fresh and pink, feels firm to the touch and free from any strong odor.
Hot Honey Chicken Variations
- Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich: Serve crispy chicken on a bun with pickles and slaw, details below.
- Nashville Style Hot Honey Chicken: Combine hot honey with cayenne based spicy oil.
- Hot Honey Chicken Wings: Use the glaze on chicken wings, our Air Fryer Chicken Wings or Grilled Chicken Wings are great recipes to start with!
- Hot Honey Chicken and Truffle: Serve with Truffle Aioli and Truffle Fries.
- Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken: Air fryer method above is our favorite for a lighter version.
Make Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
We LOVED this sandwich that we shared on instagram. We made Mayo biscuits, used that as bread to make hot honey chicken sandwiches Nashville style.
A layer of chicken sauce (store bought is great). Then layer lettuce, hot honey chicken tenders and some pickles. SO GOOD!!!! So easy and cute size for entertaining!
What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken?
Zucchini Fries, or any type of French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries. Potatoes are a great side dish, like Air Fryer Baked Potato, Pan Fried Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes .
Salad are SUPER side dish like Peach Burrata Salad, Panzanella Salad, Wedge Salad, Caprese Salad.
If you're looking for authentic biscuit recipe, check out tutorial on How To Make Biscuits.
Why Is My Chicken Not Crispy?
Possible causes include oil that is too cool or overcrowding the pan when baking or air frying. to fix this, pan fry in small batches, make sure the chicken is arranged in a single layer over an oven rack when baking or air frying.
Why is my Hot Honey too Spicy?
Too many chili flakes may overpower the sweetness, especially if it's store bought you have no control over that. To fix this, add more honey or butter to balance the heat, or make our homemade hot honey recipe here.
Why Is My Chicken Dry?
Overcooking can dry out the meat. To fix this, always cook perfectly and if you have a thermometer, aim for 165 degrees F.
Why Is the Coating Falling Off?
The breading may not have adhered properly. To fix this, add more of the cornflakes coating and press firmly. Also before baking or air frying, allow the chicken to rest briefly in the coating.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover hot honey chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To reheat, air fry at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes flipping halfway. Avoid microwaving because it softens the crispy coating.
Is Hot Honey Chicken Healthy?
Hot honey chicken provides protein but can be high in calories when fried. For that we prefer baking or air frying the chicken, and choosing a side of veggies or salads.
How to Make in Advance
This recipe is so good for making n advance. The chicken can be coated and placed in a single layer on a baking sheet and covered. Then you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking or air frying.
What is hot honey?
Hot honey is honey infused with chili peppers or hot sauce.
Can hot honey chicken be baked?
Yes. Baking or air frying creates a lighter version.
How spicy is hot honey chicken?
Heat levels vary depending on the amount of chili in the hot honey, overall it is spicy.
What chicken cuts work best?
Thighs, breasts, or chicken tenders all work well.