Soul Food Oven-Baked Chicken (Print)

Juicy chicken baked to crispy perfection, topped with a spicy-sweet hot honey drizzle.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (drumsticks and thighs)

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika

→ Breading

08 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1/2 cup cornmeal
10 - 1 teaspoon paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
12 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil spray

→ Hot Honey

17 - 1/3 cup honey
18 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce
19 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Instructions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or position a wire rack on top. Lightly drizzle or spray the surface with vegetable oil.
03 - In a large shallow dish, combine flour, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Coat each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure even coverage on all sides.
05 - Place breaded chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray or drizzle the tops with additional oil to enhance crispiness.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping pieces halfway through cooking. Chicken is done when golden brown and crispy with an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part.
07 - While chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, and cayenne in a small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm and well blended. Do not boil.
08 - Remove chicken from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with hot honey glaze and serve immediately.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It's crispy-skinned and juicy inside without the guilt of deep frying—the oven does the heavy lifting while you do something else.
  • The hot honey finish is a game changer that sounds fancy but takes five minutes, making regular chicken taste like you've been cooking all day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step—I tried it once with just an hour and the chicken was decent, but it was nothing like the overnight version; the buttermilk needs time to actually work its tenderizing magic.
  • The oil spray matters more than you'd think; I've watched people skip it to save calories and end up with chicken that's flaky-dry instead of crispy-juicy, so don't be stingy here.
03 -
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can marinate the chicken the night before, bake it in two batches, and keep the first batch warm in a low oven while the second batch cooks—the hot honey gets drizzled on everything just before serving so it stays sticky and fresh.
  • Leftover chicken (if there is any) is somehow even better the next day cold, straight from the fridge, and the honey has firmed up into these little sweet-spicy bits that make an incredible cold sandwich.
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