Description
Southern-style hot honey popcorn chicken brings explosive flavor to classic comfort food. Crispy, spicy-sweet bites deliver a perfect balance of crunch and zest you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
main ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup hot honey
- 2 cups cornflake crumbs
additional ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
seasonings:
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
coating/baking:
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup additional hot honey (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and crisp chicken.
- Whisk eggs and buttermilk together in a medium bowl, creating a tangy marinade for the chicken pieces.
- Mix cornflake crumbs with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a separate shallow dish for a robust coating.
- Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture, ensuring complete coverage, then roll thoroughly in the seasoned cornflake crumb mixture.
- Drizzle vegetable oil across the prepared baking sheet, then arrange the coated chicken pieces with space between them to promote even browning.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning chicken halfway through, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove from oven and immediately drizzle hot honey over the crispy chicken, allowing the sweet and spicy glaze to caramelize slightly.
- Let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes to allow the coating to set and juices to redistribute.
- Serve hot, with extra hot honey on the side for additional drizzling or dipping.
Notes
- Ensure cornflakes are finely crushed for an ultra-crispy, uniform coating that adheres perfectly to chicken pieces.
- Use room temperature eggs and buttermilk to help seasonings stick better and promote even breading.
- Pat chicken dry before marinating to eliminate excess moisture and guarantee maximum crunchiness during baking.
- Gluten-free option: Replace cornflake crumbs with crushed gluten-free rice cereal or almond flour for celiac-friendly version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg