I’m about to take every kid’s favourite food and glow it up so us grown ups can indulge without the shame I know you feel when you order them in a restaurant.
These Cornflake Chicken Strips are oven baked until deeply golden and super crisp, coated in seasoned cornflake crumbs that give you that fried crunch without frying (not that I am opposed to frying when the mood hits). Then they’re drizzled with a sticky, sweet, slightly spicy sweet chili honey that makes them completely irresistible.
My kids always ate their chicken strips with straight up honey and they weren’t wrong… it’s pretty yummy… but a little heat never hurt anybody and makes them feel a teensy bit more grown up.
Add some roasted broccoli to the pan if you like and you have an easy, one-sheet-pan dinner that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Which is what I’m all about.
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Cornflake Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Honey (and broccoli!)
Ingredients
For the chicken strips:
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut crosswise into thin strips
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups cornflake crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Pinch cayenne
For the sweet chili honey:
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey
For the broccoli (if you want it:)
- 3-4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the chicken strips in a bowl.
- Whisk the eggs and add to the chicken. Toss well so the chicken is completely coated.
- Add the cornflake crumbs to a large, shallow dish.
- Mix in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.
- Coat both sides of each chicken strip with the cornflake mixture and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with oil.
- If using broccoli, toss the broccoli with the olive oil in a bowl with a large pinch of salt until well mixed.
- Add the broccoli to the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turning the chicken strips over halfway through.
- Mix the sweet chili sauce and honey in a bowl.
- When the chicken is cooked drizzle everything with the sweet chili honey or use it to dip the chicken.
my pro tips for making the best cornflake chicken strips
The oil – spray the tops of the chicken with oil to help the cornflakes brown and crisp. I use this oil sprayer all the time and I LOVE it.
The space – don’t overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of crisp.
The strips – cut the chicken crosswise into thin strips so they cook quickly and stay juicy.
The flip – turn the chicken strips over halfway through baking for even crunch on both sides.
recipe substitutions and variations
Crumbs – if you don’t have cornflakes you can use regular breadcrumbs or panko. The texture won’t be quite the same and they may not be quite as crispy. The sugar in the cornflakes helps with the crisp, so if you swap for another crumb try adding a pinch of sugar to them.
Chicken – if you prefer to buy chicken tenders instead of cutting up chicken breast go for it.
Gluten Free Version – no subs because cornflakes are already gluten free!
Spicy Version – add extra cayenne to the crumbs and 1/2 tsp chili powder. You can also add a few dashes of hot sauce to the bowl when you mix the chicken with the eggs. Also add some extra red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the sweet chili sauce.
Air Fryer Version – you can make these in the air fryer by cooking the chicken strips at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway. Adding the
serving suggestions
I like to turn this into a rice bowl because we looooove a rice bowl in this house. We like to chop up the strips and serve it all over rice and then drizzle with the sweet chili honey.
Pair with a cucumber salad (like this one or this one)or coleslaw for bright flavour and extra veggies.
Sometimes I pile it all into a wrap with a drizzle of mayo for a make-ahead meal or on-the-go lunch – this works well for any leftovers too!
Leave out the broccoli (or don’t!) and add the chicken strips to a caesar salad for a weeknight dinner.
storing leftovers and make ahead details for these cornflake chicken strips
Storing – keep leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheating – reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep it crisp. Microwaving works in a pinch but the coating will be softer.
Freezing – you can prepare the chicken strips and freeze before cooking. Freeze in a single layer on a tray until solid and then transfer to an air tight bag. Cook directly from frozen, just add a couple of minutes to the cooking time and ensure the chicken is fully cooked before serving.
what makes these chicken strips so special?
The cornflake coating is the game changer here. It creates an airy, crunchy, ever so slightly sweet crust that gets incredibly crispy in the oven without frying.
Crisp, sweet-salty chicken paired with sweet, sticky heat from the chili honey gives you get the most amazing balance of crunch, sweetness, and spice in every bite.
It’s comfort food, it’s super easy, and it’s just different enough from typical chicken strips to feel exciting and more grown-up.
Chicken strips are not just for kids friends!
These Cornflake Chicken Strips are proof that we can take kid food and make it grown-up worthy. If you make them don’t forget to drop a comment, rate the recipe, or tag me over on Instagram @thepyperskitchen so I can see your delicious meals!
