If you loved my pancake battered fried chicken, wait until you try this cornbread version. Same easy method, but this time I’m using honey cornbread mix for a crispy, slightly sweet coating that is SO good on fried chicken wings.
I used Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix for both the wet batter and the dry dredge, and I honestly love how simple this is. You get that little hint of honey sweetness from the cornbread mix, plenty of savory flavor from the seasoned salt and smoked paprika, and a crispy coating without pulling out a million ingredients.
This is one of those recipes that sounds a little different until you think about it. Cornbread and fried chicken already belong together, so why not put the cornbread ON the fried chicken?
The cornbread mix gives you a completely different crust than traditional flour. You still get that golden fried exterior, but there’s a little more texture and a subtle sweetness from the honey cornbread mix.
The trick is using it twice.
First, we’re making a wet batter with the cornbread mix, milk and egg. Then the chicken goes into seasoned dry cornbread mix before hitting the hot oil.
That double coating is where all that texture comes from. I do recommend popping the chicken in the freezer for about 10 minutes once it’s coated to help the batter to adhere to the chicken even more, I did experience my batter falling off quite a bit in the oil.
What you’ll need
The ingredient list is super simple. I used chicken wing flats because they cook quickly and give you plenty of crispy surface area.
For seasoning, I kept it classic with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and smoked paprika. You really don’t need to overcomplicate this because the honey cornbread mix is bringing flavor of its own.
And for frying, I like peanut oil in a cast iron skillet. You don’t need to completely submerge the wings. We’re shallow frying, so you just want enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the skillet and come up around the chicken.
The secret is the consistency of the cornbread batter
Don’t make the wet batter too thick.
Start with the cornbread mix, milk and egg, then add a little more milk as needed. You want the batter thin enough to coat the chicken without completely weighing it down.
If it looks too thick, add a splash more milk. Easy fix.
Once the seasoned chicken is coated in the wet batter, let the excess drip off before moving it into the dry cornbread mixture.
Coat it really well, shake off the excess and then it’s ready to fry.
How to get crispy cornbread battered fried chicken
Make sure your oil is hot before adding the chicken. If the oil isn’t hot enough, that beautiful cornbread coating is just going to soak up oil instead of getting crispy.
Also, don’t overcrowd your skillet. Give the wings enough room to actually fry.
Cook them in batches if you need to, turning as they fry so the coating gets deeply golden and crispy on both sides.
Once they’re cooked through, transfer them to a wire rack instead of laying them directly on paper towels. That airflow underneath helps keep the bottom of the chicken crispy while the rest of your batch finishes.
What does cornbread battered fried chicken taste like?
Think crispy fried chicken with the slightest honey cornbread sweetness on the outside.
It’s not dessert-sweet at all. The seasoned salt and smoked paprika keep everything savory, but you get that familiar cornbread flavor coming through in the crust.
And if you’re somebody who already loves honey on fried chicken? You’re going to understand this immediately.
What to serve with cornbread fried chicken
You can serve these just like any other fried wings. Mac and cheese, collard greens, cabbage, baked beans or potato salad would all be good here.
You could also lean into that sweet-and-savory situation and drizzle the finished chicken with a little hot honey.
Personally, I’d serve these fresh and hot! While thet aren’t as crispy as the pancake battered fried chicken the flavor on these bad boys is 10/10!
Cornbread Battered Fried Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 6 whole chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes (use the 6 flats for this recipe)
- 1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Peanut oil, enough to generously coat the bottom of a 9- to 12-inch cast iron skillet for shallow frying
For the wet cornbread batter
- 1/2 cup Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg
- Additional milk as needed to thin the batter
For the dry dredge
- 1/2 to 1 cup Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix, depending on the size of your wings
- 1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Hot Honey for serving!
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken wing flats dry and season them all over with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and smoked paprika. Set aside while you prepare the batter and dredge.
- Make the wet cornbread batter. In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup honey cornbread mix, 1/2 cup milk and the egg. Whisk until combined. Add a little more milk as needed until you have a smooth batter that is thin enough to coat the chicken without being overly thick.
- Prepare the dry dredge. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the remaining honey cornbread mix with the seasoned salt and smoked paprika.
- Coat the chicken. Dip each seasoned wing flat into the wet cornbread batter, allowing the excess to drip off. Transfer immediately to the dry dredge and coat thoroughly on all sides. Shake off any loose excess. Allow the chicken to rest in the freezer fully coated for 5-10 minutes to ensure the batter sticks!
- Heat the oil. Add enough peanut oil to generously coat the bottom of a 9- to 12-inch cast iron skillet. Heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches about 350°F.
- Fry the chicken. Carefully add the coated wings to the hot oil without overcrowding the skillet. Shallow fry, turning as needed, until the coating is deeply golden brown and crispy and the chicken is completely cooked through.
- Drain and rest. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. Repeat with any remaining chicken.
- Serve hot. Enjoy immediately while the cornbread coating is crispy. Add a drizzle of honey or hot honey if you really want to take the sweet-and-savory flavor over the top.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
