Cornflake Crusted Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

Delicious hot honey chicken sandwich on toasted brioche bun with pickled slaw and dill pickles

Cornflake Crusted Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

Cornflake and panko crusted chicken cutlets fried until shatteringly crispy, drizzled with butter hot honey straight from the oil, and loaded onto a toasted brioche bun with pickled cabbage slaw, dill pickles, and burger sauce. Served with crispy oven fries.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cornflake crusted chicken, cornflake crusted chicken sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich recipe, hot honey chicken sandwich, hot honey fried chicken sandwich

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 5

Servings sandwiches

Calories 1048kcal

Author Chef Josh

Ingredients

Crispy Fries

4 large russet potatoes cut into thin fries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Seasoned Flour

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Egg Wash

3 eggs
2 tablespoon hot sauce

Crispy Coating

2 cups cornflakes crushed (keep texture — don't pulverize)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Chicken

4 chicken cutlets
Neutral oil for shallow frying

Hot Honey

½ cup honey
2 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon butter

Pickled Cabbage Slaw

2 cups green cabbage very thinly shaved
½ small red onion very thinly sliced
¼ cup dill pickles thinly shaved
1 tablespoon mayo
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon pickle brine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Sandwich Build

4 brioche buns
Burger sauce see my Punchy Burger Sauce
Dill pickle slices

Instructions

Start the Fries: Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cut potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden and crispy. For air fryer: cook at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway. Season with extra salt while hot.
Make the Slaw: Combine cabbage, red onion, and shaved pickles in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayo, white vinegar, pickle brine, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour over the vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Set aside for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving — the rest time is what softens the cabbage and lets the flavors come together.
Make the Hot Honey: Combine honey, hot sauce, chili flakes, and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully combined and glossy. Do not let it boil.
Set Up the Breading Station: Set out three shallow bowls: (1) seasoned flour, (2) egg wash with hot sauce whisked in, (3) cornflake and panko mixture. Dredge each chicken cutlet through the flour, then egg wash, then press firmly into the cornflake-panko mixture. Pack the coating on well.
Fry the Chicken: Heat a shallow layer of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken cutlets 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden, crispy, and cooked through. Transfer immediately to a wire rack and drizzle generously with hot honey while still hot.
Build the Sandwiches: Toast the brioche buns. Spread burger sauce on both the top and bottom buns. Add one hot honey chicken cutlet to each bun. Top with dill pickle slices and a large handful of pickled cabbage slaw. Close and serve immediately with crispy fries.

Video

Notes

On the Cornflake Crush: Crush the cornflakes by hand in the bag, not in a food processor. You want irregular pieces with some larger shards still intact, those are what give you the dramatic shatter on the first bite. A food processor turns them into fine crumbs that behave more like breadcrumbs. Keep the texture.
On Fry Temperature: Medium heat is the right call here. Too high and the cornflake crust burns before the chicken cooks through. Too low and the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping away from it. The chicken should take a full 3 to 4 minutes per side at a steady sizzle. If it's browning faster than that, drop the heat slightly.
On the Slaw Rest Time: Don't skip the 15 to 20 minute rest on the slaw. The vinegar and salt draw moisture out of the cabbage and soften it slightly, which makes it easier to eat in a sandwich without everything sliding out. It also mellows the raw onion bite considerably. Make the slaw first, before anything else, so it has maximum time to sit.
On the Build Order: Burger sauce goes on both buns first. Chicken goes on bottom bun. Hot honey drizzle goes on the chicken. Pickles go on next. Slaw goes on last, directly against the top bun. That order keeps the slaw from compressing the chicken crust and the pickles from making the bottom bun soggy. Eat it immediately — this sandwich does not hold.

Nutrition