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–+ servings
Hot Honey Chicken on a plate with broccoli.

Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Thighs (Oven Fried)

Yield: 8 pieces
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinate Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Buttermilk-marinated chicken thighs baked with a crispy panko crust and finished with a silky, infused hot honey. All the crunch of fried chicken without the frying.

Ingredients

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
    Raw chicken pieces are being stirred in a glass bowl filled with white liquid, likely buttermilk, on a marble surface.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it generously with spray oil.
    Spray oil
    A hand sprays cooking oil onto parchment paper lined on a baking sheet.
  • 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
    A hand holds a bowl filled with breadcrumbs, flour, and various spices, being mixed with a spoon.
  • 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.
    Eight pieces of breaded raw chicken are arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ready to be cooked.
  • 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.
    Eight breaded and baked chicken cutlets arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet, viewed from above.
  • 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
    A mesh strainer filters a golden brown liquid into a glass bowl below.
  • When the chicken has finished cooking, drizzle it with the hot honey and serve immediately.
    A spoon drizzles honey over a piece of baked breaded chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Notes

I use whole wheat flour because I like the touch of extra flavor it adds, but this recipe works just as well with all-purpose flour. 
Serving: 1 hot honey chicken thigh, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 826mg, Potassium: 367mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 378IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 2mg