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Hot Honey Baked Chicken Breasts

Hot honey baked chicken breasts with juicy, oven-roasted meat glazed in a fiery hot honey. The sticky-sweet coating caramelizes to dark amber and stays glossy with visible red pepper flakes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste Use to season both sides (amounts 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
  • 0.5 flaky sea salt For finishing.
  • 0.5 fresh thyme For garnish.
  • 0.5 tbsp extra hot honey Drizzle after resting (optional, but recommended).

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, then lightly oil a baking dish or cast iron skillet so the chicken won’t stick.
Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste to build flavor across the surface.
Make the hot honey glaze
  1. Whisk honey, hot sauce, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder until smooth so the glaze looks evenly amber with specks of pepper.
Bake with caramelizing glaze
  1. Place the chicken in the prepared dish, then brush generously with the hot honey glaze so the surface looks coated and glossy.
  2. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes at 425°F, basting with the reserved glaze once at the halfway point so the coating deepens to dark amber while the chicken browns.
  3. Continue baking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is caramelized, indicated by a thick, sticky, shiny coating.
Rest and finish
  1. Rest the chicken 5 minutes so the juices redistribute and the glaze sets slightly into a sticky-sweet finish.
  2. Finish with flaky sea salt, fresh thyme, and an extra drizzle of hot honey to amplify the sweet heat and add fresh herbal aroma.

Notes

For maximum stickiness, brush a thick first coat and reserve some glaze only for the halfway basting—this helps the amber caramelization without burning the sugars. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a 325°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can become watery after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use reduced-sugar honey (or a honey alternative) while keeping the hot sauce and red pepper flakes the same to preserve the spicy-sweet balance.