Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken with Buffalo Ranch
This hot honey cornflake chicken is ultra-crispy, sweet-heat perfection, finished with a drizzle of hot honey and dunked into a creamy buffalo ranch that absolutely steals the show.
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If I’m making chicken fingers at home, they’re not showing up in their basic form.
They’re getting the full private chef treatment. Cornflake crunch that snaps when you bite into it, a warm swipe of hot honey, and a buffalo ranch that can hold its own in any serious sauce lineup.
The air fryer keeps everything clean and crisp, but the oven works just as well. Either way, there’s no oily mess and no stress. Just big flavor and that feeling that frozen chicken fingers officially no longer exist in your life.
One batch of these and it’s hard to go back.
Why this hot honey chicken works
Crushed cornflakes are the secret to the crunch. They give you that ultra crispy coating without touching a deep fryer.
Air frying or baking at high heat keeps the chicken juicy inside while the outside browns evenly and gets golden all over.
Hot honey adds a touch of sweetness that balances the savory crunch, and the yogurt-based buffalo ranch keeps everything creamy and bright instead of rich and heavy.
"My kids loved these!"
These were fun to make (I had the kids do the dipping) and even more fun to eat. I was glad to have a batch of the hot honey in the fridge for leftovers - it was delish.
Hot Honey Cornflake Chicken with Buffalo Ranch
Equipment
- Air fryer (oven option also works!)
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1 cup crushed cornflakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
For the buffalo ranch
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
For finishing
- Hot honey for drizzling
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
- Dip each chicken strip into the beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly in the seasoned cornflake mixture, pressing gently so it sticks.
- Place the chicken strips in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
- While the chicken cooks, stir together the Greek yogurt, Dijon, honey, and hot sauce until smooth.
- Serve the crispy chicken drizzled with hot honey and the buffalo ranch on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Press the cornflake coating on really well. That extra second makes all the difference for that big crunch.
- Give the chicken a little breathing room in the air fryer. Cooking in batches keeps everything crisp and golden.
- No air fryer? No problem. Bake at 425°F, flip once, and you’ll still get great results.
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