Crispy Southern Hot Honey Fried Chicken

5 from 10 votes

Add some delicious flavor to your lunch or dinner meal with this Crispy Southern Hot Honey Fried Chicken without actual frying!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Keyword: baked, chicken, dinner, fried, hot honey, kid-friendly, lunch, oven, southern, spicy, sweet, thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Shanika

2 lbs. organic chicken, skins on or off (Drumsticks, Wings, + Thigh pieces work great!)
2 tsps sea salt, divided
2 tsps black pepper, divided
2 tsps smoked paprika, divided
2 tsps garlic powder, divided
2 tsps dried thyme, divided
2 tsps dried parsley, divided
2 tsps dried basil, divided
½ cup organic all-purpose flour
2 cups breadcrumbs (You can make your own Seasoned Toasted Panko Bread Crumbs)
2 cups cornflakes, crushed
2 large eggs
1 cup Almond milk, unsweetened (You can also use Whole milk or heavy cream instead)
2 Tbsps hot honey

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prep a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and a wire rack (this helps both sides to crisp up nicely).

In a large bowl, add your freshly cleaned + rinsed chicken along with hot honey, 1 teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, parsley, and basil, mixing everything together until chicken is fully coated. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. NOTE: Chicken is best when marinated 1-2 days before and refrigerated.

Add the flour to a plate or ziplock bag. Pat dry chicken and dust each piece of chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.

In a bowl, add the crushed corn flakes, breadcrumbs, and 1 teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, thyme, parsley, and basil, mixing everything together until combined. In a separate bowl, add the eggs and milk and whisk together until smooth and combined.
Now, dip each piece of flour dusted chicken into the egg-milk mixture (shaking off any excess) and then add it into the coating mixture, moving it around on each side until well coated. Then lay each chicken, side by side onto the baking sheet (about an inch apart). Repeat until all chicken is coated.
Lightly brush or spray tops of chicken with olive oil or cooking spray and bake them for 30-35 minutes or until chicken has fully cooked through.

In a medium 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and let it melt. Next, add the hot honey, cayenne peppers, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt, stirring everything together until sauce becomes smooth and thick.
One the chicken has baked through, remove from oven and spoon sauce unto each piece of chicken.
To serve, enjoy chicken with your favorite side dish.
Bon Appetit!

STORAGE: Place any leftover ingredients in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply add chicken to a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes until completely warmed through. Drizzle with additional hot honey, if needed.
MAKE AHEAD: All ingredients can be made and individually stored as meal prep (up to 2 days prior) and assembled when ready to serve. Be sure to store crushed corn flakes + seasoning mixture in a nicely sealed zip loc bag, kept at room temp.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To ensure that this chicken recipe is completely Gluten-Free, simply substitute the breadcrumbs and cornflakes with GF-friendly ones. Also, you can substitute cornflakes with all-purpose flour for your favorite GF-friendly flour (i.e. GF All-purpose flour, 1-to-1 baking flour, etc.). Also, you can use arrowroot starch for a great GF-friendly option instead of regular cornstarch.
EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Southern Hot Honey Fried Chicken. Everything from my fave baking sheet, skillet, mixing bowls, cooking thongs, cooking utensils, and more. SEE THEM HERE!