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Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken

Baked crunchy hot honey chicken with a golden panko-parmesan crust and a glossy hot honey drizzle. Juicy chicken thighs or breasts are marinated in buttermilk, then baked on a wire rack for extra crunch.
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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: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 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
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 wire rack
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Stir buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt until the salt dissolves, then pour into a container with the chicken.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour so the chicken stays moist and tender.
Bake the crunchy coating
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F and place a wire rack on a lined baking sheet, then spray the rack with cooking spray.
  2. Combine panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Remove chicken from the marinade and dredge it in the panko mixture, pressing firmly so the coating adheres well.
  4. Set the coated chicken on the rack and spray the tops generously with cooking spray to help browning.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 425F until the crust turns golden and the chicken reaches 165F when checked at the thickest part.
Make hot honey and serve
  1. Warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter together until the butter melts and the sauce looks glossy.
  2. Drizzle hot honey over the chicken just before serving for the best contrast between sticky sauce and crunchy crust.

Notes

For maximum crunch, press the chicken firmly into the panko-parmesan mix and keep the chicken spaced on the rack so steam can escape. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat on a wire rack in a 400F oven until hot. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a dairy-light swap, use nutritional yeast in place of parmesan to keep a savory, browned crust.