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Hot Honey Baked Chicken Breasts

Hot honey baked chicken breasts with juicy baked chicken glazed in a fiery hot honey that caramelizes to a dark amber, sticky-sweet finish with visible red pepper flakes. This easy baked chicken method uses a hot honey sauce brushed on and basted halfway for a glossy, clingy coating.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Hot honey glaze
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce (Frank's RedHot)
  • 1 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt for garnish
  • 0.5 tsp fresh thyme for garnish
  • 0.5 tbsp hot honey extra drizzle (use remaining glaze)

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and heat
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly oil a baking dish or cast iron skillet so the chicken releases easily.
Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, coating every surface.
Make the hot honey glaze
  1. Whisk honey, hot sauce, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder together until smooth and glossy.
Bake and glaze
  1. Place the chicken in the prepared dish, brush generously with the hot honey glaze, and set aside a little glaze for basting.
  2. Bake for 20-22 minutes, basting with the remaining glaze once at the halfway point, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized and dark amber.
Rest and finish
  1. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute while the glaze stays sticky.
  2. Finish with flaky sea salt, fresh thyme, and an extra drizzle of hot honey for a glistening, spicy-sweet top.

Notes

For the darkest amber glaze, brush on a thick first layer before baking and only baste once at the halfway point—over-brushing can thin the coating. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can become less glossy after thawing. For a lower-sugar swap, use a reduced-sugar honey substitute in the glaze while keeping the hot sauce and red pepper flakes the same for the heat level.