Description
Crispy baked chicken strips coated in a spicy cornflake crust and drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce, perfect for a flavorful and easy meal or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Baked Chicken Strips
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch thick strips on a bias
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Hot Honey Sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 1/2 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Rack: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large oven-safe cooling rack with non-stick cooking spray, then place it over a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet. Set aside.
- Mix Flour and Spices: In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, and onion powder until well combined.
- Beat Eggs: In a second shallow dish, whisk the eggs until very well blended and smooth.
- Prepare Cornflake Coating: In a third shallow dish, toss the crushed cornflakes with olive oil using your fingertips until the cornflakes are evenly coated with oil.
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of each chicken strip generously with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Coat Chicken - Flour Layer: Working with one piece at a time, dredge the chicken strips in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
- Coat Chicken - Egg Layer: Transfer the floured chicken strip to the beaten eggs and coat all sides evenly.
- Coat Chicken - Cornflake Layer: Then transfer the chicken strip to the oiled crushed cornflakes and press some cornflakes over the top to ensure a generous, even coating on both sides.
- Arrange on Rack: Place the coated chicken strips on the prepared cooling rack. Repeat the coating process with remaining chicken strips.
- Bake Chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If the chicken starts to brown too much near the end, loosely cover with a sheet of foil to prevent burning.
- Make Hot Honey Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the honey and butter together for about 30 seconds until the butter is nearly melted. Remove from microwave, add the Sriracha hot sauce, season with salt to taste, and stir well to combine.
- Serve: Spoon the hot honey sauce over the baked chicken strips and serve immediately. For extra crispiness, serve the hot honey sauce as a dip instead. You may want to double the sauce amount for dipping.
Notes
- To crush cornflakes, place them in a gallon-size resealable bag, seal it while pressing out excess air, then crush with a rolling pin until the pieces are about the size of panko breadcrumbs.
- Feel free to garnish the finished dish with thinly sliced green onions for added freshness and color.
- Adjust the amount of Sriracha in the hot honey sauce to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe yields crispy chicken strips without frying, making it a healthier alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 2 pieces)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
