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Hot Honey Baked Chicken Breasts

Hot honey baked chicken breasts with juicy, oven-roasted chicken glazed in a fiery hot honey that caramelizes to a dark amber, sticky-sweet coating. Red pepper flakes stay visible on the glistening surface for sweet heat chicken that’s ready for a weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon for glaze (total to taste)
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Hot Honey Glaze
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce (Frank's RedHot)
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt for garnish
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly oil a baking dish or cast iron skillet. The surface should look lightly coated, not pooled.
  2. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Press seasoning in so it adheres before baking.
Make hot honey glaze
  1. Whisk together honey, hot sauce, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder until smooth. Stop whisking when the glaze looks uniform and glossy.
Bake and caramelize
  1. Place the chicken in the prepared dish and brush generously with the hot honey glaze; reserve some for basting. Coat until the surface looks evenly slick with glaze.
  2. Bake at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Look for the glaze to begin bubbling and darkening at the edges.
  3. Baste with the remaining glaze once at the halfway point, then continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized into a dark amber, sticky coat.
Rest and finish
  1. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes. The juices should settle and the glaze will thicken slightly as it cools.
  2. Finish with flaky sea salt, fresh thyme, and an extra drizzle of hot honey. Serve when the surface looks glistening and sticky.

Notes

Pro tip: brush the first coating thickly so it caramelizes into a dark amber sheen, then reserve glaze specifically for the halfway basting to keep flavor concentrated. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently at 350°F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze texture can get less sticky. If you want it dairy-free, use a plant-based butter substitute in the glaze.