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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken

Baked crunchy hot honey chicken with a panko-parmesan crust and a glossy hot honey drizzle. Oven-baked to golden, crisp texture, then finished with warm honey and butter for a sweet-heat finish.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts
For buttermilk marinade
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For crunchy coating
  • 1.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, finely grated
  • 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
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 wire rack

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt, then add the chicken to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour so the chicken stays tender.
Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Place a wire rack on a lined baking sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt. Mix until the coating looks evenly speckled.
Coat and bake
  1. Remove chicken from the marinade and dredge it in the panko mixture, pressing firmly to help it adhere. Set each piece on the rack.
  2. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray to encourage browning. Bake 25-30 minutes at 425F until golden and cooked through at 165F.
Make hot honey and serve
  1. Warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter together until combined. Stir until the mixture looks glossy.
  2. Drizzle hot honey over the chicken just before serving. Finish with a fresh look and immediate shine from the warm sauce.

Notes

For maximum crunch, press the panko firmly onto the chicken and keep the pieces spaced on the wire rack so air circulates. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 400F oven until hot to help the crust re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the panko can soften after thawing. For a lower-sodium swap, use a reduced-sodium parmesan and reduce added salt in the coating.