Soul Food Oven-Baked Chicken (Printable)

Juicy baked chicken with crispy coating and a spicy-sweet hot honey drizzle, inspired by Southern classics.

# What You Need:

→ 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 (optional for additional heat)

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for minimum 2 hours or overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or place a wire rack on top. Drizzle or spray lightly with vegetable oil.
03 - In a large shallow dish, combine flour, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure even coating on all surfaces.
05 - Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet in single layer. Lightly spray or drizzle tops with additional oil to promote crispiness during baking.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping pieces halfway through cooking time. Chicken is done when golden and crispy with internal temperature reaching 165°F at thickest point.
07 - While chicken bakes, combine honey, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper in small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm and fully blended. Do not bring to boil.
08 - Remove baked chicken from oven. Drizzle generously with prepared hot honey glaze immediately before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that shattering, golden crust without standing over a pot of hot oil watching the splatter fly everywhere.
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the meat so impossibly juicy that people won't believe you didn't deep fry it.
  • Hot honey is where the magic lives—sweet, spicy, and addictive enough that people will ask for the recipe before they even finish their first bite.
02 -
  • The oil on top of the breading is non-negotiable if you want crispy skin—baking without it leaves you with a texture more like cardboard than fried chicken.
  • Marinating overnight isn't just nice-to-have, it's the difference between good chicken and the kind people remember weeks later, so plan ahead if you can.
03 -
  • If your hot sauce is very thick or chunky, strain it before mixing into the honey so the drizzle stays smooth and clings beautifully.
  • Room temperature buttermilk marinates the chicken faster than cold, so take it out 15 minutes before you need it if you're short on time.
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