Soul Food Oven-Baked Chicken (Printable Version)

Golden baked chicken with a crisp crust finished with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze.

# Components:

→ Chicken

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

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 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 a wire rack. Lightly drizzle or spray the surface with vegetable oil.
03 - In a large shallow dish, combine flour, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Whisk thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure even coating on all sides.
05 - Arrange breaded chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray or drizzle the tops with additional vegetable oil to promote crispiness.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Chicken is done when golden brown, crispy exterior is achieved, and internal temperature reaches 165°F when measured at the thickest point.
07 - While chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper 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 serving platter. Drizzle generously with hot honey mixture immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that shatteringly crisp coating without deep-frying your entire kitchen in oil.
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the meat impossibly tender while the spicy-sweet honey drizzle hits exactly right.
  • It tastes like Sunday dinner made by someone who actually knows what they're doing.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight marinade if you have time—the difference between two hours and twelve hours is the difference between good chicken and chicken that tastes like it was made with love.
  • The flip halfway through isn't optional; it's how you get both sides golden instead of one side pale and apologetic.
  • Hot honey needs to stay warm or it'll thicken up before you can drizzle it, so make it while the chicken finishes baking.
03 -
  • Double-dip if you want maximum crunch: dip the floured chicken back into the buttermilk, then coat again with the flour mixture and let it sit for five minutes before baking.
  • Use a wire rack on your baking sheet instead of just parchment paper—the air circulation underneath makes the bottom as crispy as the top.
  • Temperature is everything with baked chicken; use an instant-read thermometer and don't guess—165°F internal temperature means juicy, underdone is food poisoning waiting to happen.
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