These crispy honey BBQ chicken bites are baked, not fried, making them a lighter option. The coating stays crunchy under a sticky-sweet honey BBQ glaze thatโs packed with flavor. Theyโre the kind of snack everyone lovesโperfect for game day spreads or even an easy weeknight dinner.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and more success tips, as well as air fryer instructions.
Chicken fingers, or smaller “popcorn chicken,” is always a favorite, whether youโre serving it as a game day snack, party appetizer, or quick dinner. This version takes it up a notch with a sweet and tangy honey BBQ sauce that soaks right into the crunchy coating. Theyโre crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and donโt even need a dipping sauce (though you can certainly add one if youโd like).
Kids go crazy for them, and adults appreciate that bold sweet-and-smoky flavor.
Why You’ll Love These Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Bites
- Baked, not fried
- Can be made in the air fryer
- Sticky-sweet glaze
- Crunchy coating made from corn flakes cereal
- Kid and adult-approved
- Simple ingredients
One reader, Veronica, commented: “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. โ โ โ โ โ “
Here Are The Ingredients You Need & Why:
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and cut them into bite-sized pieces for quick, even baking.
- All-purpose flour: This is the first layer of the coating; it helps the egg mixture stick to the chicken.
- Corn flakes cereal: Lightly crushed for a crunchy, golden coating that rivals fried chicken.
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika: Simple seasonings that add flavor right into the coating. The smoked paprika gives a subtle smoky depth that pairs perfectly with the BBQ glaze.
- Eggs and milk: Create the wet layer that helps the cornflake coating adhere to the chicken.
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite brand; itโs the base of the honey BBQ glaze.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and stickiness to the sauce.
- Ketchup: Rounds out the sauce with tang and extra flavor.
Plus, if desired, chopped chives for fresh flavor when serving!
Let’s Coat the Chicken: Here’s How
That coating on the chicken is easy, yet effective. It has 3 layers, including flour, to help the egg mixture stick; eggs and milk, to help the crunchy coating stick; and crushed corn flakes and spices. It’s a quick dredging station all working together!
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. I usually use kitchen shears for this.
Toss chicken pieces in flour, then dip in egg mixture:
Then coat generously in the seasoned corn flakes:
Arrange the coated chicken on lined baking sheets:
Bake or Air Fry
Unlike fried versions (cooked in oil), these honey bbq chicken bites are baked in the oven until golden and crisp, usually around 15โ20 minutes depending on size.
You can also cook the honey bbq chicken bites in the air fryer. Preheat to 400ยฐF (204ยฐC), arrange the pieces in a single layer, and lightly spray with oil. Cook for 6โ8 minutes, flipping the chicken or shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
Toss in Honey BBQ Sauce
After cooking, toss the chicken bites in a warmed 3-ingredient sauce: bbq sauce, honey, and ketchup. The sauce clings to every bite, making them sticky, flavorful, and completely irresistible.
Ideas for Serving
- Game day or parties: Pile them high on a platter and serve with celery sticks. An excellent choice when choosing Super Bowl recipes!
- Weeknight dinner: Serve with sweet potato fries and/or roasted vegetables.
- Salads: Chop up and add to a green salad.
- Add to a wrap: Wrap up in a tortilla with crunchy lettuce and tomato, plus blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired.
If you love all things BBQ, be sure to try my BBQ chicken pizza, too!
Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Bites
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These crispy honey BBQ chicken bites are baked, not fried, making them a lighter option. The coating stays crunchy under a sticky-sweet honey BBQ glaze thatโs packed with flavor. Theyโre the kind of snack everyone lovesโperfect for game day spreads or even an easy weeknight dinner. Air fryer instructions included below!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907g) 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 (60g/ml) 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 400ยฐF (204ยฐC). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Place the bite-sized pieces of chicken in a large bowl. Add flour and stir to coat each piece. Set aside.
- Combine the corn flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in 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 pieces.
- Bake for 18 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. (During this time, I make the sauce in step 6.) Remove from the oven and cool chicken for 5 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the bbq sauce, honey, and ketchup, and cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Carefully place the chicken bites into a large bowl. Pour theย warm honey BBQย sauce on top and gently stir to coat. Serve warm.ย
- 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 chicken through step 4. Refrigerate for up to 1 day before continuing with step 5. You can also freeze the baked and cooled chicken before tossing in the honey BBQ sauce. Bake frozen chicken in a 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) 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 Chicken Bites: You can leave the coated baked 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.
- Air Fryer: Skip the oven. Preheat air fryer to 400ยฐF (204ยฐC), arrange the pieces in a single layer, and lightly spray with oil. Cook for 6โ8 minutes, flipping the chicken or shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crisp. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF (74ยฐC). Repeat until all chicken is cooked through.
Reader Comments and Reviews
We loved this, made it for supper tonight! I did add a teaspoon of ranch seasoning to the crushed cornflakes mix and let everyone decide what sort of sauce they wanted on their popcorn chicken – I put a variety of sauce types out (raspberry chipotle, honey mustard, bbq, wing sauce etc) and quiet honestly they all tasted great on it!
Husband made this last night. It was pretty much tasteless. Too many cornflakes. There was crunch to it for sure. It took a long time to make it and not worth the effort.
Can you substitute panko for the corn flakes
Hi JoAnne, The crunchy texture comes from the cornflakes cereal. You wouldnโt have the same exact result if breading with Panko.
I made these yesterday and they were OK, chicken is crispy but recipe should include breaking up corn flakes to about half size so they stick. Seasoning should go in flour not in CF where it just goes to bottom of bowl, and more is needed. The ketsup in the sauce overpowers the BBQ and honey, tastes weird, skip it and replace with more BBQ or other sauce you like.
I made these last night and they were delicious! They taste like crispy fried bbq nuggets and were easy to prepare! Thank you Sally for adding more and more savory recipes!