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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 baked chicken thighs or breasts are marinated in buttermilk, then baked on a wire rack for extra crisp texture.
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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: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts Use similar thickness for even cooking.
For buttermilk marinade
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 0.5 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For 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
For hot honey
  • 0.33 cup honey
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp butter

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate
  1. Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt, then add chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. While the chicken marinates, set up your topping station so the panko mixture is ready when the chicken is done.
Prep oven and 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. In a shallow dish, mix panko, parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Coat and bake
  1. Remove chicken from the marinade, dredge each piece in the panko mixture, and press firmly so crumbs adhere well.
  2. Arrange the coated chicken on the rack in a single layer.
  3. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray so the crust browns evenly.
  4. Bake at 425F for 25-30 minutes, until deeply golden and cooked through to 165F.
Make hot honey and serve
  1. Warm honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and butter together until the butter melts and the mixture looks glossy.
  2. Drizzle hot honey over the chicken just before serving so the coating stays crisp.

Notes

For maximum crunch, bake on a wire rack so hot air circulates under the chicken; no rack? Bake on the sheet and flip once halfway. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days, reheating at 425F for 8-12 minutes to re-crisp; freeze up to 2 months, though the crust softens slightly. For a dairy-free option, use a dairy-free cheese alternative for the parmesan and choose dairy-free butter in the hot honey.