Spread the love

If you’re craving crispy fried chicken but don’t want the mess (or extra oil), this Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chickenis about to become your new favorite recipe. It has everything you love—crunchy coating, juicy chicken, and that irresistible balance of heat and sweetness—all made right in your oven.

This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want comfort food without deep frying. Around here, we love serving it with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or even tucked into a sandwich with a drizzle of extra sauce.

I served mine with some Honey Butter Roasted Brussel Sprouts and I cannot tell you how excited my taste buds were!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy without frying in oil
Perfect balance of sweet heat
Family-friendly but easy to spice up
Simple pantry ingredients
Great for leftovers and meal prep

What Makes It “Oven Fried”?

Instead of deep frying, this chicken is coated in crushed cornflakes and baked at a high temperature. A little oil or butter helps crisp up the coating so you still get that golden, crunchy texture—without standing over a hot stove.

How to make Sweet and Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken

This recipe really reminds me of my Nashville Hot Chicken recipe. It is one of my absolute favorite recipes.

Start by crushing up your corn flakes. You want them pretty crushed, but still coarse enough to create a crunchy crust on your chicken.

I crush mine by putting them in a ziplock bag and using my rolling pin.

The chicken will be soaking in a buttermilk bath for a few hours, so by the time you get ready to dredge them, they will cook up perfectly and be nice and tender.

You want to make sure you flavor and season every layer of this recipe.

The corn flake crumbs are seasoned with thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.

While the sweet and spicy oven fried chicken is baking, make your sweet and spicy sauce. It's a combo of honey, cayenne pepper, butter, and a few other spices.

When the Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chicken comes out of the oven, you can leave it bare if you do not want the spice (which is what I do for my husband).

But for my taste buds, I pour the sauce all over the chicken. I let those cornflake crumbs soak in every inch of this sweet heat sauce.

Tips for the Best Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chicken

Use a wire rack so air circulates and crisps all sides
Don’t skip the buttermilk soak—it makes a huge difference
Flip halfway through baking for even crispiness
For extra crunch, use panko breadcrumbs

Variations to Try

Mild Version: Use less hot sauce and skip red pepper flakes
Extra Spicy: Add cayenne to the sauce
Air Fryer Option: Cook at 375°F for 20–25 minutes
Boneless Chicken: Great for sandwiches or wraps

What to Serve With Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chicken

This chicken pairs perfectly with:

Creamy mashed potatoes
Mac and cheese
Coleslaw
Roasted green beans
Cornbread

Check out these other fried chicken recipes

Yield: 8 pieces o

Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chicken

Name: Sweet and Spicy Oven Fried Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; kosher salt for seasoning; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 cup buttermilk; 2 teaspoons salt; 3 cups finely crushed corn flakes; 3 tablespoons of flour ( you can use whatever you have on hand); 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves; Non-Cooking Spray

This crispy chicken is coated in crunchy cornflake crumbs and then topped with a sweet and spicy sauce.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups finely crushed corn flakes
3 tablespoons of flour ( you can use whatever you have on hand)
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves
Non-Cooking Spray

For the Sweet and Spicy Sauce

6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt for seasoning

Instructions

Place chicken in a shallow 9x13 dish and pour the buttermilk over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or you can leave it overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or you can use a silicone mat.
Crush up the cornflake crumbs until they resemble a coarse coating.
Add the cornflakes, flour, thyme, and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine.
Take each piece of chicken and roll it into the crumbs, making sure to coat each side well. You might need to press it on gently to make sure it sticks well.
Place on the baking sheet.
Spray the tops of each piece of chicken with the non-stick cooking spray.
Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip the chicken over and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
To make the sweet and spicy sauce, combine the butter, honey, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Let it melt and all come together. You can thicken the sauce a little more by letting it cook for an extra couple of minutes.
Drizzle the chicken generously with sweet and spicy sauce and serve warm.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 942mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 38g