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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken

Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken with a panko-parmesan crust that turns golden and crisp in the oven. Marinated in tangy buttermilk, then finished with a warm hot honey drizzle for glossy, sweet-heat flavor.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts
Buttermilk marinade
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.5 tsp salt
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
Hot honey
  • 0.333 cup honey
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 cooking spray

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 wire rack

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. In a bowl, stir buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt until combined. Add chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour so it stays coated.
Bake until crisp and cooked through
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack on a lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a shallow bowl, combine panko, parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt. Mix until the coating looks evenly speckled.
  3. Remove chicken from the marinade and dredge each piece in the panko mixture, pressing firmly. Lay chicken on the rack in a single layer.
  4. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 425°F until golden and cooked through, reaching 165°F in the thickest part.
Warm the hot honey and serve
  1. In a small saucepan, warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter together. Stir until butter melts and the sauce looks glossy.
  2. Drizzle hot honey over the baked chicken just before serving. Finish with any extra red pepper flakes if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: press the panko firmly onto the chicken so the crust adheres and bakes evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3 days; reheat on a rack in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp again. Freezing is not recommended because the crust can soften. For a gluten-conscious swap, use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in the same amounts.