Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken
Crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, this Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken recipe is a deliciously easy weeknight dinner!
Move over, fried chicken tenders! Make way for crispy, golden brown, Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken! These oven-baked chicken breasts are dipped in eggs and milk, breaded with cornflakes and parmesan, and drizzled with a heavenly honey hot sauce. This is a surefire sensation around the supper table!
A 30-Minute Miracle Meal!
Don’t you LOVE a 30-minute meal? I know I do! I mean, can we just talk about this 15-minute Honey Butter Chicken?! But most 30-minute recipes are creamy, carb-based, skillet meals. Don’t get me wrong – they’re delicious! But sweet, savory, spicy Honey Cornflake Chicken gives you a more classic dinner (think “meat & two sides”). It’s a crispy, juicy, healthy alternative to one-pan recipes that’s every bit as scrumptious as it is simple to make!
Other Recipes to Serve Cornflake Chicken Breasts
- Green Beans with Honey Pecan Butter and Cranberries are the perfect balance of crunchy, tangy, and sweet, making them a spectacular side dish!
- Scalloped Potatoes are deliciously creamy and pair perfectly with any chicken!
Ingredients
Chicken: We’re using boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced thin), but you could just as easily use boneless, skinless thighs (pounded thin so the cornflake batter doesn’t overcook).
Egg Wash: To make the breading “stick” to the chicken, dip it in an egg, milk, and hot sauce wash.
Coating: Cornflakes, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, and onion powders, and smoked paprika make up the crust of this chicken, which cooks up crispy, flavorful, and SO delicious!
Drizzle: This recipe’s “hot honey” is a combination of regular honey and your favorite hot sauce. (We love Cholula and Mike’s Hot Sauce!)
Garnish: A little freshly chopped parsley makes a nice garnish for the Cornflake Chicken!
How to Make Hot Honey Corn Flake Chicken
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the cornflakes, parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, garlic, and onion powder in the food processor. Pulse into small crumbs, but NOT fine—we’re not looking for a powder. If needed, do this in two separate batches to prevent overprocessing.
STEP TWO: Place the crumb mixture in a shallow bowl and set aside. Whisk together the milk, eggs, and hot sauce in another shallow bowl.
STEP THREE: Dip one piece of chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides (allow the excess to drip off). Then, dip into the crumb mixture and fully coat both sides. Dip the chicken a second time into the egg wash and a second time into the crumb mixture to ensure it is completely coated. Place onto the parchment-covered baking sheet. Repeat this process with each piece of chicken.
STEP FOUR: Once all the chicken is coated and on the baking sheet, drizzle each breast with a little olive oil (or spray with cooking spray). This helps make the cornflake coating crisp up like a fried chicken. Place the chicken in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until crispy and golden.
STEP FIVE: Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. While it’s cooling, mix the honey and hot sauce in a small pan and gently heat over medium-low for a couple of minutes.
STEP SIX: Drizzle the hot honey over the chicken, garnish with the parsley, and serve warm with your favorite sides!
Tips for Success
- Instead of baking, you can air-fry these chicken breasts (about 380 F for 15 minutes or until done).
- Use a meat thermometer to be sure the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Make sure to use PLAIN cornflakes, not frosted flakes.
- Use a wire rack on top of the baking rack to get perfectly crispy results on all sides!
- To keep your fingers clean, use tongs or a fork to dredge the chicken through the egg wash and cornflake breading.
- If you are egg-sensitive, substitute a little heavy cream for the eggs.
What’s the Best Way to Store Leftover Chicken Breasts?
Leftover Hot Honey Baked Chicken can be stored in an airtight baggie or container for 4 days in the refrigerator. (We don’t recommend freezing as the texture of the breading changes.) To reheat, simply broil the leftover chicken on a baking sheet for 3-4 minutes or toss in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes. You want the breading to crisp up but not burn! Serve with a fresh drizzle of hot honey. Mmmmmm!!
Can I Substitute Cornflakes for Breadcrumbs?
Substituting cornflakes for bread crumbs depends on what you’re making, but crumbled cornflakes make an excellent crust, much like panko crumbs! They’re naturally crunchy and have a neutral flavor that works well with many different seasonings, from sweet to savory to spicy. In place of bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, or flour, cornflakes work especially well as a breading for chicken! Simply crush the cornflakes in a food processor (or baggie) and add seasonings to give the crumbs a rich flavor.
Other Creative Cornflake Recipes
- Au Gratin Potato Casserole
- Fried Ice Cream
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Bacon Ranch Chicken
- Scotcheroo Truffles
Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken
Equipment
- Small Saucepan (see note)
Ingredients
Coating
- 6 cups cornflakes
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Chicken
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the cornflakes, parmesan, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to a food processor. Cover and pulse until the cornflakes before small crumbs. (You can all use a large food storage bag and a rolling pin to crush the cereal.)
- Place the cornflake mixture into a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, 3 tablespoons hot sauce, and milk.
- Dip on chicken breast into the milk mixture, coating it on all sides, and allow any excess to drip back into the bowl. Then dip the chicken into the cornflakes so that it is coated on all sides.
- Place the chicken onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Drizzle some olive oil over the chicken breasts.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F internal temp). The breading should be golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before plating.
- While the chicken cools, add the honey and 1 ½ tablespoons of hot sauce to a small pan. Heat on medium-low for 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine.
- Drizzle the hot honey over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish, if desired. Serve warm with your favorite sides.
Notes
- I made my own hot honey for this recipe, but you can use pre-made hot honey (like Mike’s) at the store. I like that I can control the amount of heat with this homemade version.
- Nutritional information is for 1 chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of hot honey.
