Easy, crunchy, sticky, saucy chicken poppers that are coated and baked, not fried.
I like to think I’m a PRO at football snacks. I would play in the snack Super Bowl every year if there was a snack Super Bowl. This is not meant to brag; I’m just a very good football snack maker! And one of my all-time, kick you in the pants football snacks to make is popcorn chicken. Actually, it’s these bacon wrapped cheesy stuffed jalapeños, but you already knew that. Second place is popcorn chicken aka little breaded chicken bites that are super juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and served with an array of dipping sauces including but not limited to ketchup, honey mustard, and BBQ sauce.
And guess what? I bake my popcorn chicken!
I love homemade popcorn chicken and one of my favorite varieties to make is this honey BBQ version. Basically plain popcorn chicken bites submerged in a tangy and sweet honey BBQ sauce while they’re still warm. The sauce is sticky and its flavor sinks into that crispy popcorn chicken breading. It’s all absolutely incredible and you don’t even need a dipping sauce!
The breading! It’s easy peasy stuff. There are 3 layers of breading. But don’t get scared, it’s all super simple. First you’ll need flour. The chicken pieces will get a coating of flour prior to taking a dunk in egg. The flour helps the egg stick, the egg helps the crunchy coating stick. So, you’ll have a few bowls happening on your counter but I promise the clean up is a cinch.
For a super crunchy and thick coating—we’re going to use crushed corn flakes cereal just like we do for buffalo chicken fingers. The cereal is key to having that superb crunch. Our cornflake crumbs will be mixed with some seasonings for added flavor like salt, pepper, smoked paprika (YES!!), and garlic powder. It’s all very yum.
Then you’ll bake the popcorn chicken until super crisp. Usually just under 20 minutes or so, but keep your eye on them. If your bites are cut very small, it might only be about 15 minutes. Use your best judgment. These are hard to mess up.
Look how golden and crisp.
The honey BBQ sauce is nothing more than these 3 ingredients: your favorite BBQ sauce, honey, and a little ketchup. It’s all warmed together over the stove to sort of thin it out, then poured over the warm chicken. Give it a toss, taste test, and GASP you’ve met your new favorite game day snack. Also works perfectly as an easy dinner option served with sweet potato fries. And, I’m being super serious here, is really good on salad. Chopped up on top of a lettuce/tomato/cucumber/bacon crumble/shredded cheddar cheese action. Good glory! It’s fantastic.
If you love all things BBQ, be sure to try my BBQ chicken pizza, too!
More Favorite Snacks & Appetizers
- Stromboli
- Soft Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip
- Pizza Pull Apart Rolls
- Crab Dip (Maryland Style)
- Cold Veggie Pizza
Baked Honey BBQ Popcorn Chicken
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This crunchy, saucy, and crowd pleasing baked honey BBQ popcorn chicken is the easiest appetizer or bite-sized dinner you can make!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 5 cups (140g) corn flakes cereal, crushed lightly
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
Easy Honey BBQ Sauce
- 3/4 cup (222g) your favorite BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays Original)
- 1/4 cup (85g) honey
- 1/4 cup (68g) ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Place the bite-sized pieces of chicken in a large bowl. Add flour and stir to coat each piece. Set aside.
- Place the corn flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika into a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl.
- This next step gets your hands a little messy so have paper towels nearby. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Then generously roll in the cornflake mixture, shaking off any excess. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all chicken bites.
- Bake for 18 minutes, flipping once at the 9-10 minute mark. (During this time, I make the sauce in step 6.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Heat the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Carefully place the chicken bites into a large bowl. Pour the warm honey BBQ sauce on top and gently stir to coat. Serve warm. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the popcorn chicken through step 4. Refrigerate for up to 1 day before continuing with step 5. You can also freeze the baked popcorn chicken before tossing in the honey BBQ sauce. Bake frozen popcorn chicken in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Wooden Spoon
- Plain Popcorn Chicken: You can leave the popcorn chicken plain. Simply add a little more seasoning (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder) to the cornflake mixture and leave off the honey BBQ sauce.
Do you think you could make these with cauliflower? I’m on my first trimester and the thought of chicken makes me (ugh) but I’m craving honey bbq!
Hi Pickles, we haven’t tested it, but let us know if you do!
These turned out great!!
There are just 2 of us, so 2lbs. is a lot. Can I halave this recipe and still have it come out well? I would think so.
Hi Kathy, you can halve this recipe, no problem. Enjoy!
This recipe is delicious. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s and with the ketchup and honey, it is amazing! My 9 year loves it also.
Hi! What can I use instead of milk since I’m dairy-free?
Hi Abi, you can use a dairy-free milk instead.
Can gluten free flour be used instead of wheat flour?
Hi LaRae, that shouldn’t be an issue, but do note that corn flakes are not gluten free.
You can buy gluten free corn flakes. Gefen original corn flake crumbs contain corn and salt.
Can you substitute panko for cornflakes
Hi Angela! The crunchy texture comes from the cornflakes cereal. You wouldn’t have the same exact result if breading with Panko.
Perfectly crunchy! Very flavorful both ways: plain and coated in the honey BBQ. The corn flakes coating reminded me of chicken McNuggets from McDonald’s in both aroma and taste. Yum!
18 minutes wasn’t enough to cook the chicken, I ended up putting them in the air fryer for a few extra minutes. Next time I’ll crush the corn flakes a little more and add more seasoning.
I was wondering if these would be crispier on the bottom if cooked on a rack rather than sitting on a pan or silpat. Thoughts?
You can certainly give it a try, but we’d recommend placing a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Let us know if you try it!
Extremely good! Even the plain pieces without sauce were delicious! I’ve tried a lot of recipes for baked “crispy” chicken in the past, and these were one of the first to actually turn out nice and crunchy. I’ll definitely make these again, with a variety of sauces.
Even drenched in BBQ sauce, the chicken itself is bland. The breading needs some serious spicing up.
How do you like your induction burner?
I made these today and they were a hit. So flavorful and crispy. My husband and toddler loved them.
Could I used bread crumbs instead of cereal?
Hi Bridget, They won’t be as crunchy/crisp, but yes, you can make that swap.
Can I use a oil friyer
Hi Michelle, we haven’t tested it that way, but let us know if you do.
Is it possible to cook them in an air fryer?
I’m sure you could! I haven’t tested it though.
these are so good! kid favorite in my house. my pickier kids enjoy them plain, they’re still really good plain actually. yum! thanks for the winner winner chicken dinner.
can i skip the milk and just use egg?
Hi Leah, it’s best not to skip the milk. You can use a dairy-free milk if needed.
These nuggets are so good. I used what I had, Rice Crisps. Still very crunchy. Picky husband approved. Definitely will be making again. Thank you.