Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Thighs (Oven Fried)
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My hot honey chicken has a shatteringly crispy panko crust, tender, juicy boneless thigh meat, and a silky, infused hot honey drizzle on top. A quick buttermilk marinade does all the tenderizing, and the oven does all the frying.
The magic here is a little Southern fried chicken trick that works beautifully in the oven: a quick buttermilk marinade. Twenty minutes is all it takes to tenderize the skinless chicken thighs and help the crispy panko coating cling in a thick, craggy crust. If you want to get a jump on dinner, you can leave the chicken in the buttermilk for up to 8 hours in the fridge.
Tip: After years of testing plenty of chicken recipes, I’ve found that chicken thighs shouldn’t be marinated beyond 8 hours, as the buttermilk keeps working and the meat starts to turn mushy.
The other detail I love is the hot honey. It’s a pared-down version of my hot honey recipe, the perfect amount for this chicken. Instead of stirring chili flakes straight into the honey, I warm them together and let them steep for 5 minutes, then strain out the flakes. You get a silky, glossy hot honey that drizzles cleanly into every ridge of the crispy coating. Five minutes is just right for my family, but if you want more heat, let it infuse longer before straining.
Thighs are my pick over breasts for this one. The extra fat keeps them juicy through the full 30 minutes in the oven, so you get all the crunch of fried chicken without any of the frying.
You can also try making my hot honey chicken bowls, which are basically a bite-sized version of these thighs served with rice, coleslaw, and sweet pickles.
What to serve with hot honey chicken
I like serving this with a simple veggie side like my creamy cucumber salad or some steamed broccoli. My classic broccoli coleslaw is another great side, and you can use more of the buttermilk you bought to make the lemon buttermilk dressing.
How to store and freeze
Store leftovers in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days. To keep them crispy, reheat them in your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. A microwave is much quicker, but you’ll lose the crispy crust.
Can I freeze hot honey chicken? You can freeze this chicken after baking, preferably before adding the hot honey. Place the crispy chicken pieces on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then freeze them. Once they’re frozen, move them to a freezer bag, like one of these Stasher Bags. Reheat them in the oven until hot, then coat them in hot honey before serving.
Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Thighs (Oven Fried)
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk (can be light)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (divided)
- Spray oil
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup whole wheat flour (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I like Sriracha)
Instructions
- Put the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Add the buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of sea salt and mix well. Put the bowl into your fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to 8 hours.)8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 cup buttermilk
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it generously with spray oil.Spray oil
- In a shallow bowl, mix the panko, flour, paprika, Italian seasoning, and the remaining teaspoon of salt.3 cups panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dip it into the panko mixture and make sure that it is well-coated. Put the chicken on the baking sheet then continue to coat the rest.
- Spray the tops of the chicken with oil then put them into your oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden.
- While the chicken bakes, make the honey. In a small pan, warm the honey, chili flakes, and hot sauce over medium heat. Once the honey starts to bubble a little, remove the pan from the heat. Let it infuse for 5 minutes then strain the honey through a fine-mesh sieve.½ cup honey, 1 tablespoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- When the chicken has finished cooking, drizzle it with the hot honey and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious!
Great and easy to make recipe. This crispy chicken cooked in the oven is so delicious. It surely is success with us.
I served it in a tomato pita bread with a mixed veggy slaw, grated cheese and mayo. Oh la la!
The only downside is the waste of panko. When I made it I used two chicken breast cut in good size fingers, and followed the rest of the recipe to a tee.
In the futur I’ll only use 1 cup of panko.
Thank you so much Kristen! Very happy with your new recipe.
Would chicken breast pieces work with this recipe?
They sure would! Just adjust the cooking time so they don’t over cook.
Can you use bone-in chicken thighs as well? What’s the benefit to using boneless chicken thighs?
Bone in will work, but you’ll need to bake them longer – usually 45 minutes.
I haven’t tried this yet but I was curious. Can any of the ingredients be substituted out? Like the whole wheat flour for all purpose flour.
Stuff like that.
You can definitely use all-purpose flour. And regular breadcrumbs will work – although they’re not quite as crispy.
I haven’t made this yet, but I was curious why the honey needs to be strained?
We like to strain the chili flakes out for a smoother texture. If you don’t mind the chili flakes (or the extra heat) then you can skip straining it.
Loved this!! I added some garden fresh snap peas and a squeeze of lime — yummy!!!
I have made this recipe many times and it has become my go to chicken recipe. Crispy and delicious with a touch of sweetness and heat, Try with waffle- awesome. Mark
Great idea about serving this with waffles!
I love this recipe! It’s so easy and turns out so well every time. Only thing I do different is season the chicken before putting it in with the buttermilk (just salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little paprika). I serve it with rice and green beans. The hot honey is so delicious!
Delicious!! I used pork rinds as the breading for my chicken. Everyone gave it a thumbs up! Thanks for a great recipe! Always a win when my kids approve!!
Delicious! So crispy, tasty and easy! Reheated next day in the air fryer for crispy chicken sandwiches was also a winner. Thanks for the A+++ recipe!
Wow! Easy and delicious. Wasn’t sure if the hot honey would be too spicy or worth it, but it definitely adds another layer of flavor. Hands down would make this again
The sweetness on this chicken is perfectly balanced will make again its really delicious!