Baked Crunchy Hot Honey Chicken with Cornflake Parmesan Crust
By Ethan Parker
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
This 40-minute sheet-pan chicken dinner keeps weeknights moving with a simple cornflake coating and a warm hot honey drizzle. Chicken tenderloins bake until crisp all around, while honey, hot sauce, cayenne, and chipotle chili powder make a sweet, spicy, lightly smoky finish.
Cornflakes are pulsed with Parmesan, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt for the coating. The Parmesan adds a salty layer that crisps as the chicken bakes. Beaten eggs mixed with hot sauce help the crumbs adhere, and a second pass through both bowls builds the thicker crust described in the recipe. A drizzle of olive oil encourages browning on the sheet pan.
Look for fine, even cornflake crumbs and chicken that is crisp all around after baking. The key visual cue is a fully covered tenderloin with no bare patches before it goes into the oven. The most common miss is a thin coating, so return the chicken to the egg mixture and crumbs for the optional second coat when a heavier crust is wanted.
Warm the honey sauce shortly before the chicken finishes so it is ready to drizzle immediately. Serve with sweet potato fries and a wintery salad, as suggested. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container, then bake it the next day or reheat it in an air fryer.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fits into a 40-minute dinner window because the chicken bakes on one lined sheet pan while the hot honey sauce warms near the end.
- Keeps prep straightforward with a food processor, or a ziplock bag alternative, for turning cornflakes into fine crumbs without special equipment.
- Uses a double coating option that solves thin breading, giving chicken tenderloins a thicker cornflake crust when extra crunch is wanted.
- Relies on familiar pantry seasonings because smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, hot sauce, and honey build the coating and sauce.
- Makes serving flexible because the warm sweet-spicy sauce can be drizzled lightly or used generously over every piece of baked chicken.
- Limits cleanup with parchment-lined sheet-pan baking, while the sauce needs only a small pot and the breading uses shallow bowls.
Ingredients
- •6 cups cornflakes (use gluten free, if needed)
- •0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- •1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- •0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- •0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- •2 large eggs (beaten)
- •2 tablespoons hot sauce
- •2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
- •extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- •0.5 cup honey (hot honey)
- •2 tablespoons hot sauce (2-3 tablespoons, hot honey)
- •1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1-3 teaspoons, hot honey)
- •0.75 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (hot honey)
- •0.5 teaspoon garlic powder (hot honey)
- •0.5 teaspoon onion powder (hot honey)
- •sea salt (a pinch, plus more for serving)
- •fresh thyme, cilantro, or parsley (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine the cornflakes, Parmesan, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs.
- 3
Alternatively, crush the cornflakes in a ziplock bag by stepping on them. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow bowl.
- 4
Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the hot sauce and chicken, and toss well to coat.
- 5
Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, covering fully, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- 6
For a thicker coating, dip the chicken back through the eggs and then through the crumbs a second time. Place it on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until crisp all around.
- 7
Just before the chicken is done cooking, warm the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt together in a sauce pot.
- 8
Drizzle the warm sauce over the chicken and top with herbs. If the sauce thickens, warm it for 5 seconds in the microwave.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
403
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