Description
Honey BBQ Chicken Bites are crispy, tender chunks of chicken coated in a flavorful cornflake crust and baked to perfection, then tossed in a sweet and tangy honey BBQ sauce. This easy-to-make recipe combines the crunch of baked chicken with the irresistible blend of smoky BBQ and honey, perfect for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a delicious main dish.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Coating
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 6 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Honey BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Rack: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place it on top of a baking sheet. This setup allows the chicken bites to crisp evenly while baking.
- Season Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks, BBQ seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken.
- Prepare Buttermilk Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg until smooth. This mixture helps the coating to stick to the chicken.
- Prepare Cornflake Coating: In a large bowl, combine the lightly crushed cornflakes and vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, mixing well to evenly distribute the oil and seasoning.
- Coat Chicken: Working one piece at a time, dredge each chicken chunk first in the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. Then dip into the buttermilk and egg mixture. Finally, dredge in the cornflake mixture, pressing gently to ensure the coating adheres well.
- Arrange on Rack: Place the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking rack. Coat each piece lightly with nonstick spray to promote crisping.
- Bake Chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden and crispy.
- Make Honey BBQ Sauce: While the chicken bakes, combine the BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and optional hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm the sauce for 2-3 minutes until heated through and well combined.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Once baked, transfer the chicken to a large bowl and gently toss with half of the warm honey BBQ sauce, ensuring each piece is nicely coated.
- Serve: Serve the chicken bites immediately with the remaining honey BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts for juicier bites.
- Lightly crushing the cornflakes helps the coating stick better and creates extra crunch.
- The nonstick spray on the baking rack is key to preventing the chicken from sticking.
- Adjust the hot sauce amount in the honey BBQ sauce to suit your spice preference.
- Serve with extra dipping sauces like ranch or blue cheese for variety.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
