Description
This Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken recipe offers a perfect balance of crispy texture and sweet heat, featuring marinated boneless chicken thighs coated in a flavorful spice and breadcrumb mixture, baked to golden perfection, and finished with a luscious hot honey glaze. It’s an easy-to-make dish that delivers a deliciously spicy and sweet flavor combination, ideal for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, skin on
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Dredge Mixture
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Hot Honey Glaze
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Other
- Cooking spray or oil for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it with cooking spray to ensure the chicken won’t stick.
- Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce together. Submerge the chicken thighs in this marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare Dredge Mixture: Combine the all-purpose flour, panko breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in another bowl, mixing until well blended for an even, flavorful coating.
- Coat Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour and breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres evenly.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Lay the coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray to promote crispiness during baking.
- Bake Chicken: Place the chicken in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Make Hot Honey Glaze: While the chicken bakes, combine honey, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, and melted butter in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring frequently until the glaze is smooth and well combined.
- Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle the hot honey glaze over the chicken just before serving or offer it on the side as a dipping sauce for an extra kick.
Notes
- For best flavor and tenderness, marinate the chicken overnight.
- Use skin-on chicken thighs for extra crispness; remove the skin if you prefer leaner meat.
- You can adjust the amount of hot sauce in both the marinade and glaze to suit your preferred spice level.
- To make it gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour and panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives.
- Ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.