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Prepare yourself for the most addictive chicken ever. It’s crunchy, sweet, salty, spicy, and I find myself making it OFTEN. It’s easy to pull together and is baked to crunchy perfection! You’ve got this!
I cannot express to you how much I love this crunchy, spicy, sweet chicken. I love it SO MUCH and if I were ever to open a restaurant (not very likely, but I like to dream), this would be on the menu. It’s so crunchy and satisfying, you’ll never know it’s actually baked. Get ready for your new favorite way to eat chicken!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
All of the ingredients needed for this incredibly delicious dinner are below. We’ve also listed any possible substitutions! Find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
- Eggs
- Chili garlic sauce
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – use any cut of chicken you love here!
- Panko bread crumbs
- Garlic powder, sea salt, and cayenne pepper
- Spray oil
- Honey
We served our hot honey chicken alongside crispy roasted potatoes garnished with chives (pictured). They were a DELICIOUS pairing! Read below for more serving ideas.
How to Make
There are several REALLY great things about sheet pan meals, but I think the absolute best thing about them is that they are always really, really simple to pull together, and this hot honey bake is no exception! Here’s how you’ll do it:
- Prep – preheat the oven to 375°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray it with oil.
- Whisk together the eggs, chili garlic sauce, and salt – in a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of chili garlic sauce.
- Pour the panko bread crumbs into a shallow dish.
- Combine the garlic powder, remaining teaspoon of salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Coat the chicken – dip the chicken thighs in the egg wash, then press them into the panko bread crumbs and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with the spice mixture – sprinkle the panko-coated chicken with the spice mixture, then spray with oil.
- Bake – add the chicken to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Flip and continue baking – when the timer goes off, flip the chicken and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Make the hot honey sauce – in a small bowl, whisk together the honey and 2 tablespoons of chili garlic sauce.
- Drizzle the hot honey, serve, and enjoy – when the chicken is done baking, drizzle it with the hot honey sauce, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Making this recipe and looking for our best tips? We’ve got you!
- Adjust the spice – this recipe *is* for hot honey chicken, but if you’re looking for slightly less spice, feel free to omit the chili garlic sauce in the egg wash (and the sauce too, if you’d like) and either reduce the amount of cayenne sprinkled on top of the panko-coated chicken or omit it altogether.
- Use regular panko – we made this recipe with gluten-free panko, but you can absolutely use regular panko if that’s what you typically grab for.
- Use a different cut of chicken – feel free to use chicken breasts here! Just be sure to pound them out so that they are a half-inch thick and use that instead.
- Use smaller, thinner chicken thighs – the thickness of the thighs can have a big impact on how crispy they get, so if you’re looking for a really crispy end product, use smaller, thinner thighs.
- Don’t overcrowd – be sure to give each chicken thigh plenty of space on the pan. If you need to use more than one sheet pan, do that!
- Keep cooking – if the thighs aren’t getting crispy as you’d like, leave them in the oven for as long as 40 minutes (watching to make sure the Panko doesn’t burn).Â
- Add time if you double the recipe – if you double the recipe, leave it in the oven for 10 extra minutes (flipping when there are 10 minutes left).
What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken
We served our hot honey chicken with crispy baked baby Yukon gold potatoes, but there are an endless amount of side dish accompaniments for this crispy chicken dish. Here are our favorite options:
Starchy Sides
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Best Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Oven Roasted Potato Wedges
- Quick and Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Veggie Sides
- How to Roast Asparagus
- Easy Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Steamed Broccoli
- Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Best Spinach Salad with Spicy Lemon Salad Dressing
- Perfect Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Lemon Sea Salt Arugula Salad
How to Store and Reheat
Store your leftover hot honey chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, it’ll keep for up to 5 days.
You’ve got a couple of options when it comes to reheating your leftovers:
- In the microwave – pop your chicken on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it for 1-2 minutes (until warmed through). This option results in the *least* crispy reheated chicken.
- In the oven – place your leftover chicken on a sheet pan and reheat it in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes (until warmed through). This option results in crispy reheated chicken.
- In the air fryer – place your leftover hot honey chicken in the air fryer and reheat it at 350°F for 5-7 minutes (until warmed through). This option results in the *most* crispy reheated chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of chicken?
You can absolutely use a different type of chicken in this recipe! Use bone-in, skin-on thighs, or another cut entirely (chicken breasts or tenders are also GREAT options). If you do use a different cut of chicken, be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken for doneness (using a meat thermometer) before pulling it out of the oven.
How spicy is this chicken?
The chili garlic sauce used in this recipe definitely has a kick to it, but there isn’t a ton of it in this recipe (1 tablespoon is used to coat the eggs, and 2 tablespoons are combined with the honey to drizzle over the baked chicken), so the finished product isn’t SUPER spicy. I probably would not serve it to my 3-year-old, but my husband and I happily eat it with no issues.
Can you make hot honey chicken in the air fryer?
You can definitely make hot honey chicken in the air fryer! You’ll follow the recipe instructions to prep the chicken and then air fry it at 375°F for 8 minutes, flip it, and continue to air fry for another 8 minutes.
More Favorite Chicken Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken (Baked and Easy)
- Oven Baked Chicken Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce divided
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Spray oil
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of chili garlic sauce.
- Pour the panko bread crumbs into a shallow dish.
- Combine the garlic powder, remaining teaspoon of salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Dip the chicken thighs in the egg wash, then press them into the panko bread crumbs and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the panko coated chicken with the spice mixture, then spray with oil.
- Place the chicken into the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, whisk together the honey and 2 tablespoons of chili garlic sauce together in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the hot honey mixture over the chicken, serve alongside crispy potatoes, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Recipe Notes
- The thickness of the thighs can have a big impact on how crispy it gets, so if you’re looking for a really crispy end product, use smaller, thinner thighs.
- Don’t crowd them in the pan! Be sure to give each chicken thigh plenty of space on the pan. If you need to use more than one sheet pan, do that.
- If you double the recipe, leave it in the oven for 10 extra minutes (flipping when there are 10 minutes left).
- If the thighs still aren’t getting crispy as you’d like, leave them in the oven for as long as 40 minutes (watching to make sure the Panko doesn’t burn).Â
Erin says
This sounds so good! I think I’ll try this for dinner tonight.
Brandi Schilhab says
We hope you loved it, Erin!
Laura says
Hi, Would this work in the air fryer?
Brandi Schilhab says
We haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not, Laura! Let us know how it goes!
Candy says
Does the first teaspoon of salt go in the egg mixture?
Brandi Schilhab says
Yes! So sorry about that, Candy!
Samantha says
Fantastic recipe! Definitely one of my new favorites.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahooo! We’re so glad you love this one, Samantha!!
Julia says
Made this tonight for the family and we really enjoyed it! I left the cayenne pepper out but I felt like it still had a little kick to it. I am very sensitive to spicy but I still really liked the flavor. I think I would make this again maybe with chicken tenders instead of thighs and just adjust the cooking time a little if necessary.
I served with roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Julia! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!
Ashley says
Is there a recipe for the chili garlic sauce?
Brandi Schilhab says
Hi Ashley! The chili garlic sauce is store-bought. HERE’S the link!
Sarah says
This was so easy and delish! The whole family enjoyed it! Thank you!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad everyone loved it, Sarah!!
Kourtney Ennis says
Great recipe, my family loved it! Super easy to make. Served with roasted broccoli and white rice.
Brandi Schilhab says
Yum! Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Kourtney!
Julia LaBorde says
Quick and easy and SO delicious! I’ll definitely make this again!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! We’re so glad you loved it, Julia!
Erika says
I can’t find that chili garlic sauce anywhere- it’s sold out on Amazon too. Is the momofoku chili garlic crunch similar/a good substitute? Or is there another chili garlic sauce brand you’ve tried that would work?
Brandi Schilhab says
Bummer! A few people wrote in with substitutions they tried and loved: sriracha, gochujang, and Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch all seem to work great! I hope that helps!
Kelly says
This is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Have made it with chicken breasts and chicken tenders and both have turned out wonderfully. Definitely going to be on the regular rotation.
Brandi Schilhab says
So good to hear, Kelly!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Nicole M says
This recipe was delicious and will be added to the regular rotation. Perfect amount of sweet and spicy. Super quick recipe which I also appreciate.
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad to hear that you loved this recipe, Nicole! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!
Mary says
Great recipe even for the cooking challenged like me! It came together way faster than I thought, so we’ll be repeating as a weeknight option.
For those with littles who may not like the spice, I did the egg wash according to the recipe still and just left a couple pieces of chicken without cayenne seasoning and didn’t drizzle with the honey and they did great with it. Our local store was out of chili garlic sauce, so I subbed gochuchang and it was great.
Thanks for this!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you loved the recipe, Mary! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Angela M says
This recipe is fantastic. The chicken turned out perfectly crispy and was so delicious even my two year old loved it (minus the hot honey sauce)! I couldn’t get the same crispiness when reheating the leftovers in the oven but the flavors were just as good.
Was a hit with our family and look forward to making again and again!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad everyone loved it, Angela! As far as reheating goes, the air fryer is a game-changer – makes it super crispy again!
Rachael Garcia says
We eat a lot of chicken and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. Oh my, this one is definitely now in our regular rotation! I couldn’t find the chili garlic sauce she recommends (due to chili pepper shortages in Mexico!), so I used the Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion – it turned out sooooo good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Brandi Schilhab says
YUM, Rachael! I bet that Chili Onion Crunch was delicious in this recipe!
Felecia says
This recipe was so delicious! I even made extra and we had hot honey sandwiches on day two. Not too spicy. It was just right! Thank you for the great recipe.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahooo! Hot honey chicken sandwiches sound DELICIOUS! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us, Felecia!
Emilie says
Great recipe, the whole family absolutely loved it.
Perfect level of spicy & sweet – I used sriracha.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s so great, Emilie! We’re so glad everyone loved it! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us.
Kara says
Made this dish twice this month! So delicious and heating up in the air fryer for 2nds was a breeze and gave it that extra little crunch!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s awesome, Kara – we’re so glad you love it! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Pamela Tognoli says
Cassie!!! So good!!! Hubby loved it too! I made two different versions, the regular version and an egg free version with flax egg that one didn’t turn out as well taste delicious, but all the coating came off in the oven. Any suggestions for an egg free version?
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad y’all loved it, Pamela! I just asked Cassy – she said she’d actually start with heavy cream as the egg substitute (if you can do dairy). We haven’t tested it, though, so we can’t guarantee that it’ll turn out.
Ashley says
Tried this recipe over the weekend. SO delicious! Even my 8 year old “picky eater” loved it! This one will now be on rotate!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! That’s great to hear, Ashley! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Courtney McGarity says
OMG! This hit the spot! The perfect amount of heat (in my opinion), crunch garlic and panko bread crumbs, and juicy chicken thighs. We paired this with roasted broccoli and air fryer sweet potato fries. My husband said to add this to our monthly rotation!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! We’re so glad y’all loved it, Courtney!
Chloe Price says
So good! Couldn’t find chili garlic sauce or sriracha at the store but decided to use gochujang instead. The recipe was easy to follow and the chicken was tender and juicy. Next time I’m going to make sandwiches with it!
Brandi Schilhab says
Great sub, Chloe! Hot honey chicken sandwiches would be delicious!
Rachel says
Delicious! The chicken was moist yet crunchy from the coating. My husband loved this and he’s not a big chicken fan. I did serve the honey sauce on the side for the kids.
Brandi Schilhab says
Aw, we’re so glad you loved this recipe, Rachel! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Danielle says
Made this the other day, and it is now going to be a staple especially on nights when we need a quick simple dinner! It’s so easy to make and relatively quick as well. We made it with sweet potato fries & served it with salad. I was nervous about the spice level, so actually halved it, but definitely could have gone full spice! I actually craved that full spice level once I got the taste of what it was supposed to be…that sweet & spicy perfection. SO. SO. Good.
Brandi Schilhab says
Danielle! That’s so great to hear! Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Rose W says
Wonderful, simple recipe! I wish I had used thinner chicken thighs to make them crispier, but I loved the sauce and the honey together! Thank you!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you enjoyed the flavors, Rose! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Michelle C says
This is screaming my name! Going on my list of things to make!
Brandi Schilhab says
We can’t wait to hear what you think of it, Michelle!
Samantha Stein says
My family *loved* this! I did a double batch: one as written which came out perfectly, one with a substitution of honey garlic sauce instead of chili sauce for the non-spicy crew. It was milder and lighter in color but still got eaten up. My husband said it was restaurant quality! They can’t wait for me to make it again.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s amazing, Samantha! Thank you so much for sharing this with us – it means more than you know!
Terry says
DELISH! Easy and delicious. I want to try and get mine crispier next time. Maybe broiler for a minute? This with roasted and broccoli and roasted potato for meal prep this week. Thank you! Def going into the rotation.
Lauren says
The flavor was really good! My Panko came out a bit softer than I would have liked. Any tips for getting it crispier? I followed the recipe to a T
PamelaTognoli says
Commented below but forgot to rate! Five star dinner! The flavor is terrific- used paprika instead of cayenne pepper so it would not be that hot and it worked great.
Nikki says
I made this chicken last night and it was amazing! We used chicken breast tenderloins in our recipe. They cooked up to a perfect crisp with the Panko crumbs. We drizzled hot honey on top and it tasted sweet and spicy. If you have picky eaters like we do, omit the cayenne in the spice mixture and foregoing the hot honey. Great recipe!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nikki! Thank you for sharing!!
Nikki says
I also forgot to give it a rating but I posted my review.
Emily says
This is SO good!!! It’s going in my regular rotation! I used chicken breast because that’s what I had on hand. The crunchy chicken with the sweet hot honey is such a yummy combo!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you loved it, Emily!!
Heidi says
So good. Do not sleep on this recipe. It’s easier than it looks!!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you love this one, Heidi!
Kelsey says
This is the end-all chicken recipe for me. It is total perfection – crispy, juicy, and a sweet and spicy honey to go on top. I don’t even like honey much -at all- but this recipe has been on my mind every time I meal plan since the first time I made it and I cannot get enough. SO DELICIOUS.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s AMAZING, Kelsey! We’re so glad you love it!
Jamie Kuenzie says
I’ve made this recipe twice now. Once I baked and once I air-fried. Both delicious, the air fryer much crispier. 10/10 for my family of 5 with preteen’s & teens.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s awesome, Jamie! We’re so glad everyone loves this recipe!
April Fischer says
Hi! I’ve been following Fed and Fit for over 2 months now! I love ALL of the recipes (and so does my husband-score)! This chicken recipe was very flavorful. I didn’t realize that I’m not a fan of chicken thighs until now and so I think next time I make this, I’ll use chicken breast 🙂 I pairs this with the homemade potato wedges and it was amazing!! I feel like these meals are doable, quick, healthy, and SO delish!
Brandi Schilhab says
Thank you for sharing this with us, April! We’re glad you loved the flavor!
Halee says
Made this in the air fryer and it was SO good!! We ended up eating all of the chicken that we didn’t save any for leftovers for lunch the next day, oops!! haha 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
I get it, Halee – this recipe is SO good!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Kimmy says
I made this the other night. It was crispy and delicious and most of all, so easy. Breading recipes tend to make me nervous on the time consumption portion of it but this was simple and easy and the mess was minimal. The spice level was great for my family, we all loved it! It gets 5 stars because I will make it again.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s amazing, Kimmy! We’re so glad you loved it and found it easy to pull off!
Brianna Murphy says
Love this recipe! Making it tonight for the second week in a row.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahooo! That’s so great to hear, Brianna!!
Andrea DeRego says
This recipe was very flavorful…the chicken thighs came out perfectly crispy and delicious, and the sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. It was husband-approved! We really enjoyed it.
Brandi Schilhab says
Awesome, Andrea!! We’re so glad y’all loved it!
Laura says
This recipe is delicious and I will definitely be making it again! I did make a couple of substitutions. We are grain free so I used crushed pork rinds in place of bread crumbs, and I used a sweet chili sauce to make it less spicy. My toddler gobbled it up!
Brandi Schilhab says
Great swaps, Laura! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kevin Henseler says
I subscribe to Fed+Fit, but it’s to give my wife new meal ideas. I suggested this meal, and it was a hit! My wife called it a “keeper; I’ll make that again!” She said the recipe was simple. We both loved the sauce; it’s a balanced blend of heat and sweet. This is why I follow Fed+Fit, many recipes are tasty and easy.
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s awesome, Kevin! We’re so glad y’all are enjoying the recipes!
Lauren says
This was delicious! Came together quicker than I expected and was delicious. I was a little short on Panko by about half a cup, but it was fine! Paired with frozen sweet potato fries for an easy and delicious dinner. I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks Cassy!!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren!
McKenzie Cato says
Loved this! Easy to make and delicious. I subbed the ginger chili sauce for sriracha and chili crisp oil from sprouts and it was delicious!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahooo! Great swaps!
Megan says
My husband and I loved this easy recipe! My husband is not big on the spice, so I left the chili garlic sauce out of the egg wash and it was still oh-so-delicious. I served with green beans and rice!
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad y’all loved it, Megan! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Praise says
I LOVED this recipe. I wouldn’t have thought to simply add chili garlic to honey for the most delicious sauce!! And I was surprised by how crispy the chicken was baked in the oven with just a little oil spray on top! I usually prefer chicken thighs but I used some halved chicken breast alongside the thighs and actually preferred it! Such an easy, quick and delicious recipe. This is definitely going in our meal rotation. 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
Halved chicken breasts are a GREAT idea, Praise! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Noel says
My husband is not a chicken fan and when he saw what I was cooking he was skeptical. Im happy to say he said it was one of the best meals I have ever made him! I agree. It was so easy and so yummy.
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo!! That’s so awesome, Noel!
Carrie Fiedler says
Love this! It’s a new favorite but I can’t find the button on the site that I used to click to add it to one of my collections. What am I doing wrong?
Lindsey Jones says
This chicken was so easy and delicious! The whole family including the kids loved it. This will become a regular dinner in our house!
Lindsey Jones says
This chicken was so easy and delicious! The whole family including the kids loved it. This will become a regular dinner in our house!
Author note: forgot to add my 5 stars the first time I posted to doing it again 🙂
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s amazing, Lindsey! The entire family LOVING it is the goal! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us!
Kelli says
I made this hot chicken yesterday and it was a crowd pleaser for the whole family. I left off the sauce for my toddlers. I served it along side of roasted veggies and both heated up the next day for leftovers. Loved the crispy outside and the hot-sweet combination of the sauce.
Brandi Schilhab says
Yeah!! We’re so glad everyone loved it, Kelli! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Steph says
Husband and both teen boys loved it! Will definitely make again. Thank you for the recipe,
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahooo! So glad it was a hit, Steph!!
Nydia Herzog says
Our family loves this recipe. We have had it twice in the last 3 weeks. My kids love the crunch. While it cooks in the oven, the house smells so good.
Brandi Schilhab says
Hi Nydia!!! Long time no see – I hope you’re doing well! We’re so glad y’all love this recipe!
Laurie Bettini says
I made these with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and put some crushed dried ghost pepper in with the cayenne and honey (we like things spicy!). They were SO good and were perfect for our spicy craving!
Brandi Schilhab says
WOW! That’s awesome, Laurie! We’re so glad you loved this recipe!
Shannon Woodhouse says
My family really enjoyed this recipe! I will definitely be making it again!! My young daughter and I are both sensitive to spice so I omitted the cayenne and reduced the chili garlic sauce in the honey drizzle a tad but after eating it I think I could have added more to the drizzle and it would have been fine.
Brandi Schilhab says
We’re so glad y’all loved these, Shannon! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this with us!