Description
Spicy baked hot honey chicken delivers crispy, golden-brown perfection with a sweet and fiery kick. Southern-inspired comfort meets gourmet flair for home cooks craving bold, irresistible flavors you’ll devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 – 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 400F (200C) and arrange a baking sheet with parchment paper or a wire rack for optimal cooking surface.
- Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk, allowing them to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or ideally overnight to enhance flavor and tenderness.
- Create a seasoning blend by combining flour with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a wide, shallow container.
- Carefully drain chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then thoroughly coat each piece in the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Arrange the flour-coated chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet, then lightly mist with cooking spray to promote a crispier exterior.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, rotating the chicken midway through cooking to ensure even browning and achieving an internal temperature of 165F.
- While chicken bakes, craft a glaze by gently heating honey, hot sauce, and butter in a small saucepan until ingredients seamlessly integrate and develop a smooth consistency.
- Once chicken is golden and crisp, either drizzle the spicy honey glaze directly over the pieces or serve alongside as a dipping sauce for personalized enjoyment.
Notes
- Marinate chicken overnight in buttermilk for maximum tenderness and juiciness, helping break down proteins and infuse deep flavor.
- Use a wire rack on the baking sheet to ensure air circulation, creating an extra crispy exterior without soggy bottoms.
- Adjust cayenne and hot sauce levels to customize spice intensity, making the dish mild or fiery according to personal heat tolerance.
- For gluten-free option, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend, maintaining the same crispy coating texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg