Description
This Hot Honey Chicken recipe features crispy baked chicken strips coated in spiced cornflakes and flour, then drizzled with a spicy sweet hot honey sauce for a perfect balance of heat and sweetness. It's an easy, flavorful meal ideal for serving as a main course or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Baked Chicken Strips
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch thick strips on a bias
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Hot Honey Sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 1/2 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large oven-safe cooling rack with non-stick cooking spray, then place it over a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet. Set aside.
- Make flour mixture: In a shallow dish, whisk together all-purpose flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, and onion powder until evenly combined.
- Prepare egg wash: In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs thoroughly until well blended.
- Coat cornflakes: In a third shallow dish, toss the crushed cornflakes with olive oil using your fingertips until the flakes are evenly coated with oil.
- Season and dredge chicken: Season both sides of each chicken strip generously with salt and black pepper. Working one piece at a time, dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
- Egg wash coating: Transfer the floured chicken to the egg wash and coat all sides thoroughly.
- Cornflake coating: Transfer the chicken to the crushed cornflakes and coat both sides. Press some cornflakes over the top to ensure a generous and even coating that sticks well.
- Bake chicken: Place the coated chicken strips on the prepared cooling rack. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If the chicken begins to brown too much near the end, loosely cover with foil to prevent burning.
- Prepare hot honey sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the honey and diced butter together for about 30 seconds or until the butter is nearly melted. Remove from microwave, add the Sriracha, season with salt to taste, and stir well to combine.
- Serve: Spoon the hot honey sauce over the baked chicken strips and serve immediately. For extra crispiness, serve the sauce on the side as a dip. Consider doubling the sauce amount if serving as a dip.
Notes
- To crush cornflakes, place them in a gallon-size resealable bag, seal while pressing out excess air, then crush with a rolling pin until they resemble panko bread crumbs in size.
- For added flavor and presentation, garnish with thinly sliced green onions if desired.
- Doubling the hot honey sauce is recommended if serving it as a dipping sauce for multiple people.
- Using a cooling rack over a baking sheet helps air circulate around the chicken strips for extra crispiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (2 pieces)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
