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Hot Honey Baked Chicken Breasts

Hot honey baked chicken breasts with a sticky-sweet, dark-amber glaze that caramelizes in the oven and clings to juicy meat. Fiery hot honey sauce with red pepper flakes gives sweet heat chicken flavor in an easy weeknight bake.
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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: 520
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 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
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly oil a baking dish or cast iron skillet so the chicken releases easily.
  2. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika for even flavor.
Make the hot honey glaze
  1. Whisk together honey, hot sauce, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder until smooth.
Bake and glaze
  1. Place chicken in the prepared dish and brush generously with the hot honey glaze, reserving some for basting.
  2. Bake for 20-22 minutes, basting once at the halfway point, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized.
Rest and finish
  1. Rest chicken for 5 minutes to help the juices set.
  2. Finish with flaky sea salt, fresh thyme, and an extra drizzle of hot honey for a glossy, sticky-sweet coating.

Notes

Pro tip: warm the glaze ingredients slightly if needed so the butter fully blends for a smoother caramelizing coating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven or skillet until hot (not dry). Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can lose its sticky texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-reduced hot sauce and a reduced-sugar honey substitute while keeping the same bake time and glaze method.