Hot Honey Chicken is THE dinner recipe you’ll want to make again and again! Crispy, oven-fried chicken is topped with a spicy-sweet honey sauce with red pepper flakes for flavor that bursts at the seams. This easy dish is delicious on its own, or as a chicken sandwich with all the fixings.
Easy Hot Honey Chicken Recipe
Normally, I don’t go for hot recipes. I absolutely love some flavor, but it needs to be balanced.
But y’all, this Hot Honey Chicken recipe is something I wasn’t prepared for.
I first tried hot honey drizzled over a pepperoni and ricotta cheese pizza, and I was immediately intrigued. After a bit of research, I decided to try my hand at making this spicy-sweet concoction at home.
It’s so easy to whip up, and it just might be the MOST underrated condiment out there.
The next logical step was making my own hot honey “fried” chicken. (Like the kind in Nashville!)
After a few trial runs, the BEST chicken recipe was born with the perfect sweet and hot balance.
The chicken is oven-fried, cutting down on extra calories from the oil. It’s still super crispy, and pairs amazing with an easy hot honey recipe you can whip up in 10 minutes.
Serve up this spicy and sweet chicken on game days, at a picnic, or for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
To make this hot honey chicken recipe you need:
- Chicken. Both breasts and thighs will work, but opt for boneless and skinless either way. You can save time by buying pre-cut chicken tenders, as well.
- Eggs. These are used to make the base to bind the breading mixture to the chicken.
- Milk. You can use whatever you have on hand. Regular, dairy milk or a plant-based variety will do just fine.
- Flour. Choose an all-purpose variety, either regular or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend. Avoid whole grain or a coarse texture as it won’t stick to the chicken.
- Hot sauce. Completely optional, but it adds a kick of flavor to the chicken. Sriracha or another hot sauce of your choice works.
- Breadcrumbs. Look for a regular or gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs. Avoid seasoned varieties.
- Seasonings. Salt and pepper along with a spice mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika all create a flavorful breading for the chicken.
- Honey. Look for local honey at the grocery store. Steer clear of the artificial varieties. Farmers markets are a great place to find high-quality honey, as well. Avoid the thicker type of raw honey, though.
- Red pepper flakes. Increase or decrease the amount to ensure the spice level you prefer.
- Apple cider vinegar. This is essential if you like a tangier sauce, like Mike’s. You sub in lemon juice, if needed.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken
These are the steps to follow to make this homemade hot honey chicken recipe:
Make the Hot Honey
It’s so easy to make a homemade hot honey sauce with a few simple ingredients.
Heat the honey in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it’s boiling, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the red pepper flakes, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt. Stir it well, then let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
You can either strain the flakes out over a glass jar or keep them in for an added kick.
Set the spicy hot honey sauce to the side while you make the chicken.
Prep the Chicken
To ensure the chicken cooks evenly, it’s best to pound it thin with a meat mallet. First, cover it with plastic wrap, then evenly hit the breasts or thighs until they’re ½-¾ inch-thick all the way across.
Make the Dredge
Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To ensure crispy chicken, you can use a wire rack in the pan that can go in the oven.
In the first medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, hot sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
In a second, large bowl, combine the panko crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Use a fork or whisk to gently mix it up.
Coat the Chicken
Dip one piece of chicken into the egg-flour mixture. Hold it over the bowl to let any excess liquid drip off.
Then, carefully place it into the breadcrumb bowl. Gently press down, then turn it over to cover both sides.
Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
Bake the Chicken
Insert the baking sheet with the coated chicken into the preheated oven.
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in the middle. The internal temperature on a meat thermometer should be 165℉.
Drizzle with spicy honey, top with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage
- How to prep ahead of time: You can make the hot honey well in advance; it will keep in the pantry for up to 3-6 months.
- How to store: For the best results, keep any leftover hot honey chicken separate from the sauce. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- How to freeze: You can freeze this chicken for up to 3 to 4 months, but the breading won’t last as well. You should not freeze honey.
- How to reheat: Warm this chicken back up in the microwave, or in a 300℉ oven until heated through. If the honey crystallizes, place it in the microwave for 10 seconds, or set the jar in a bowl of warm water.
What is hot honey?
Hot honey is honey that has been heated with red pepper flakes. You can either leave the flakes in or strain them out of this delicious sauce. The result is a flavorful, sweet and spicy condiment that is great on so many dishes.
What to put hot honey on?
This sweet and hot honey is delicious on pizza, chicken, and even vegetables. If you’re feeling adventurous, try serving it over vanilla ice cream for dessert!
Dietary Modifications
The recipe you’ll find below is already low-fat as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:
- Dairy-free: Stick with a plant-based milk.
- Gluten-free: Opt for a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend of flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Prep early. The hot honey can be made weeks in advance. Make a big batch to keep on hand.
- You choose. Either chicken breasts or chicken thighs work, depending on the flavor you prefer.
- Nice and thin. Be sure to pound the chicken to about ½-thick so it cooks evenly.
- Customize the flavor. You can easily increase or decrease the spice level by changing the amount of red pepper flakes or leaving out the hot sauce.
- Last minute. For crispy chicken, drizzle the honey on top just before serving.
What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken
You can serve this hot honey chicken with your favorite side dishes or bread!
Veggies like Instant Pot Glazed Carrots, Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, or even Broccoli Salad are delicious.
Or, go with a potato dish like Melting Potatoes or Hasselback Sweet Potatoes.
You can even whip up some Sweet Mini Cornbread Muffins or Gluten-free Cornbread.
More Chicken Breast Recipes
Chicken is so versatile, and you can enjoy it so many ways. Try one of these easy recipes next.
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Thai Yellow Chicken Curry are exotic and so full of flavor.
Lemon Chicken Piccata and Chicken Cordon Bleu are sure to impress.
If you want to serve the whole family, opt for these Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets or Baked Chicken Taquitos.
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Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 ¼ to 1 ¼ lbs. chicken breasts or thighs*
- 2 eggs large
- 2 Tbsp. milk regular or dairy-free
- ¼ cup flour all purpose or gluten-free
- 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce
- 2 tsp. salt divided
- ¾ tsp. black pepper
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs regular or gluten-free
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- Parsley optional
Hot Honey:
- ½ cup honey
- ½ – 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes depending on desired spice level
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder optional
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Pound chicken using a meat mallet until it’s ½-¾ inch thick. Cut into equal-sized 5-ounce portions if they aren’t already.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, hot sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss until it’s well coated.
- Add the panko crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to a large shallow bowl. Toss until it’s well mixed.
- Remove one chicken portion at a time from the egg mixture and let any excess drip off. Add it to the Panko crumbs and completely coat it, pressing in the crumbs on both sides. Repeat this with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Place the coated chicken on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
For the Hot Honey:
- Add the honey to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the honey to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and mix in the red pepper flakes, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk until everything is combined.
- Let the pepper flakes marinade in the honey for at least 5 minutes or up to 10 before straining. You can also serve as is with the flakes still in the honey for an even spicier kick.
- If straining, place a fine mesh strainer over a glass jar and pour the hot honey into it. You want to make sure the honey is still nice and warm so it goes through the strainer easily.
- Drizzle the baked chicken with hot honey just before serving and add a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Enjoy!
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Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- How to prep ahead of time: You can make the hot honey well in advance, it will keep in the pantry well.
- How to store: For the best results, keep any leftover hot honey chicken separate from the sauce Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- How to freeze: You can freeze this chicken for up to 3 to 4 months, but the breading won’t last as well. You should not freeze honey.
- How to reheat: Warm this chicken back up in the microwave, or in a 300℉ oven until heated through. If the honey crystallizes, place it in the microwave for 10 seconds, or set the jar in a bowl of warm water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
