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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken

Baked crunchy hot honey chicken with a golden panko-parmesan crust and a quick hot honey drizzle. Juicy baked chicken thighs or breasts are marinated in buttermilk for a tender bite and baked until crisp at 425°F.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts Use boneless skinless for fastest, even baking.
For buttermilk marinade
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 tsp hot sauce For marinade; also used again for hot honey.
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For crunchy coating
  • 1.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, finely grated Use finely grated for better adhesion to the chicken.
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
For hot honey
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 2 tsp hot sauce For hot honey; use the same hot sauce as the marinade if you like.
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt in a bowl, then add chicken and coat all pieces evenly. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Set up the oven and crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a wire rack on a lined baking sheet, then spray the rack with cooking spray. This helps the underside crisp while baking.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt. Mix until evenly speckled.
  3. Dredge each chicken piece in the panko mixture, pressing firmly so the coating adheres. Shake off loose crumbs and place chicken on the rack.
  4. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray. This promotes even browning and crunch.
Bake
  1. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes, until golden and cooked through to 165°F. Let it rest briefly on the rack while you make the hot honey.
Make hot honey and serve
  1. Warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter together until melted and smooth. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.
  2. Drizzle hot honey over the chicken just before serving. Finish with any extra red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: press the chicken firmly into the panko so the crust stays intact through baking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; re-crisp in a 400°F oven for 8-12 minutes. Freezing is not recommended for best crunch, but you can freeze cooked chicken without the drizzle. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free panko (same amount) and keep the rest unchanged.