This easy hot honey chicken recipe might just steal your heart. Tender chicken is coated in a tangy, spicy buttermilk mixture, breaded with crunchy seasoned cornflakes, baked to crispy perfection, and finished with spicy honey.

Hot honey chicken thighs arranged on a cutting board.

Juicy, flavorful chicken coated in a nostalgic breading of perfectly seasoned, wonderfully crunchy cornflakes? And then drizzled with sweet, gooey honey infused with just the right amount of heat? Sign me up! This hot honey chicken is one of those recipes your taste buds will be beckoning you to come back to over and over again.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Recipe

Full of flavor. From the subtle tang of the buttermilk to the fiery kick of the hot honey, each bite of this tender, crunchy chicken is loaded with flavorful pizazz.
Texture. I am infatuated with the crunch that the cornflakes bring to the table here. They make for the perfect breading. Plus, the way the sticky sauce clings to every flake is incredibly good!
Quick and easy. While it might seem like a grand production to make breaded chicken with a delicious sauce, it really isn’t. Make this impressive, delicious chicken entree in just 40 minutes.

Ingredients For Hot Honey Chicken

Cornflakes: You can use Panko bread crumbs instead.
Seasonings: I used smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Feel free to play with other additions as well.
Eggs
Buttermilk: Resist the temptation to use a different dairy product here. The thick texture of the buttermilk helps the breading stick to the chicken. It also lends a lovely tangy flavor.
Hot sauce: I like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, but feel free to use your favorite.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs: You can use chicken breast tenders instead; just note that they will take a bit less time in the oven.
Honey: I suggest choosing a relatively neutral honey that isn’t overly floral.
Chili flakes
Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar will work in a pinch.

How to Make Hot Honey Chicken

Allow me to give you a basic rundown of how to make this spicy, crunchy hot honey chicken. For more thorough instructions, scroll on down to the recipe card below.

Dipping a chicken thigh in a spicy buttermilk-egg mixture. — Dip the chicken in the egg mixture.

Coasting a chicken thigh with cornflakes. — Dip the chicken in the egg mixture.

Prep. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Crush. Seal the cornflakes in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Prepare to bread the chicken. In one bowl, mix together the crushed cornflakes and seasoning. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce.
Bread the chicken. Add the chicken to the bowl with the egg mixture and toss to coat. Then dredge each piece in the cornflake mixture and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Chicken thighs coated with cornflakes ready to be baked. — Arrange the cornflake-coated chicken in a baking dish.

Cornflake crusted chicken thighs in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. — Arrange the cornflake-coated chicken in a baking dish.

Bake. Bake for 25 minutes.

Infusing hot honey with hot sauce and apple cider vinegar. — Make the hot honey.

Drizzling hot honey over cornflake crusted chicken. — Make the hot honey.

Make the hot honey. Whisk together the honey and chili flakes in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a light boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the hot sauce and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
Serve. Drizzle the hot honey over the chicken and serve.

Hot honey chicken on a plate with pickle slices.

Recipe Tips And Variations

Press the breading into the chicken. You want each piece of chicken to be thoroughly coated in the cornflake mixture. It can be helpful to lightly press the cornflakes into each chicken piece.
Use a meat thermometer. Because the size and thickness of chicken thighs can vary, it is best to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F.
Adjust the spice levels. You can easily reduce or increase the amount of hot sauce and/or chili flakes to honor your personal spice tolerance. I’ve even made this recipe with no hot sauce at all.
Try a different sauce. If hot honey isn’t quite your thing, feel free to omit the sauce and dip slices of the cornflake chicken in ranch, BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, and/or another condiment of your choosing.
Try a different breading. Add about 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese to the cornflake mixture for a cheesy twist on the breading. You could also replace the cornflakes with a couple of cups of panko breadcrumbs or unseasoned breadcrumbs for a different texture.

Hot honey chicken in a sandwich with pickle slices.

Serving Suggestions

Hot honey chicken is a classic Southern entree that could be served with a slice of Cornbread Casserole and a serving of Garlic Butter Collard Greens. It also goes well with these Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Creamy Green Beans. We also like to slice a Butter Swim Biscuit in half and load it up with a piece of hot honey chicken and some pickle slices to make a crunchy chicken sandwich.

Drizzling the top of a chicken with hot honey.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

To store. Allow the chicken pieces to cool completely before sealing them in an airtight container. Store the hot honey in a separate airtight container, if possible. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. The hot honey will keep at room temperature for up to 3 months.
To reheat. Allow the chicken to thaw (if applicable) before arranging the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350°F and bake covered for 10 minutes and then uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If you’re aiming to build your winner winner chicken dinner recipe repertoire, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few of my other favorite chicken recipes for you to try.