Hot honey chicken tenders recipe
These hot honey chicken tenders are marinated in buttermilk and seasonings, pan fried until golden brown and crispy, then drizzled with a spicy honey. This crowd-pleaser is perfect for game day, and making it at home is easier than you think!
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my baked chicken wings recipe. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my chicken recipes in one place.
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Hot honey chicken tenders
These hot honey chicken strips are the perfect fun “takeout” meal made at home. Made with fresh ingredients, and nothing questionable, you can feel better about this tasty meal knowing exactly what is in it.
They also make a delicious sandwich. Tuck them into a piece of Italian bread with some pickles, mayo, tomatoes and lettuce, and you have yourself a great lunch.
What you need to know
Making these hot honey tenders requires a little planning ahead. I like to marinate them overnight, but even a four hour soak is good.
There are several ways to bread them, but I do a standard breading procedure (SBP) that we always used for chicken in the restaurant (more on that later). This type of breading will give you super crunchy chicken tenders, and a breading that actually stays on the chicken, and doesn’t fall off.
Lastly, the hot honey is incredibly easy to make, and there are options for adjusting the heat level in the recipe notes.
Ingredients
To make this honey hot chicken tender recipe, you’ll need some pantry basics, along with chicken tenderloins and a bit of buttermilk for marinating.
- Chicken tenderloins – This long, narrow strip of chicken is from the underside of a chicken breast.
- Substitution: You can also use chicken breast cut into long strips.
- Buttermilk – Tangy buttermilk helps to flavor the chicken, and also helps to keep then tender and juicy.
- Eggs – Eggs are necessary for the breading. You can swap them out with liquid eggs, if needed.
- Breadcrumbs – I do a mixture of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs and panko mixed with a bit of flour. It yields a very crunchy coating.
- Flour – The chicken is coated with seasoned flour before frying.
- Herbs and spices – Rosemary, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Oil – I use avocado oil for frying. It has a very high smoke point (over 500°), so I don’t have to worry about it burning.
How to make hot honey chicken tenders
Here’s a quick summary of how to make hot honey chicken. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Make marinade – Combine buttermilk with herbs and spices, then add the chicken.
- Marinate overnight – Place the bag inside of a bowl or another bag, in case it leaks, and refrigerate.
- Coat in breading – Coat chicken in flour, egg, then breadcrumb mixture.
- Rest – Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before frying. This helps the coating to dry out and stick to the chicken.
- Fry – Fry for 3 – 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your tenders or sliced chicken breast.
- Drain – After frying, place tenders on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Standard Breading Procedure
Drizzled with spicy honey, these chicken tenders are so dang good! From the crunchy coating on the chicken to the moment the spicy honey hits your tongue, it makes for one incredible bite. Let’s talk for a minute how we get that coating, shall we?
When breading anything, this is the standard breading procedure that I learned in culinary school and have used in every restaurant I’ve ever worked in. First, a dip into the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess, then dip into the whisked eggs. The final step is to dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
Letting the breading set is crucial. You’ll notice that after about 5 minutes, the breading will feel firmer and more set instead of a little wet. That’s when you know you’re good to go. The coating has adhered to the chicken and should not fall off during frying.
Hot honey recipe
The spicy honey really takes the tenders from good to GREAT! If you don’t like too much spice, you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or strain the honey sooner so the peppers don’t have a chance to infuse as much heat.
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All you need to make hot honey is crushed red pepper, or sliced chili peppers, and honey. You can add a bit of vinegar to balance out the sweetness from the honey, which I do, but if you like it very sweet, you can omit it.
Add the chili flakes, honey, and fresh chili (if you are using it) to a small pot over medium low heat. Let the chili infuse the honey, then strain it through a fine mesh strainer. Add the vinegar, give it a stir, and you’re done!
Hot honey chicken tenders FAQ’s
Store uncooked breaded tenders in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure they are wrapped very well, and stored in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn.
Store leftover tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To air-fry these instead, cook for 8 – 10 minutes at 375° – 400° (depending on your air fryer model).
Variations and substitutions
- Less spicy – Add a small amount of your favorite hot sauce to the honey, then taste and adjust to your liking.
- Chicken breast – You can cut chicken breasts into long strips instead of buying chicken tenderloins.
Helpful tools and equipment
- Heavy duty sheet pans that hold up to high temps without warping.
- Parchment paper sheets are MUCH easier to use than tearing pieces off of a roll.
Serving suggestions for hot honey chicken tenders
This would be the perfect menu for hanging out in the backyard with some friends. They would also make a great boxed lunch. Get a few containers, pack them up and you’re off! Wouldn’t this be a better option than a soggy turkey sandwich and a bag of crushed chips?
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Hot honey chicken tenders
Ingredients
For the chicken tenders
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins about 12 – 15 pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika divided
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour divided
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs Japanese style breadcrumb
- neutral oil for frying *amount will vary depending on the pan used
For the hot honey
- ¾ – 1 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons vinegar apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- ½ – 1 chili pepper, optional *For those who like it a smidge hotter – In descending order of heat: Thai bird's eye chili, serrano, jalapeño. These would all be good choices.
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Place chicken tenders in a large zip-top bag (Ziplock). Pour in buttermilk.Add rosemary, half of the garlic powder, half of the paprika, half of the salt and half of the pepper. Seal the bag and gently massage chicken to make sure it is evenly coated. Place bag in a bowl or another zip-top bag (in case it leaks), and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the hot honey
- In a small saucepot, combine honey, crushed red pepper flakes, and chili pepper, if using, over medium low heat. Let it barely come to a simmer (you do not want it to boil). Let chilies infuse honey for 10 – 15 minutes, then strain, and mix in the vinegar. Set aside to cool slightly. *See note
Make the hot honey chicken tenders
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, pat dry and set aside. Discard buttermilk.
- Mix seasoned breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs together with ½ cup flour until uniform in consistency.
- In three separate bowls, set up breading station: In the first bowl – ¾ cup of flour with remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Whisk to combine.In the second bowl, whisk the eggs, and in the last bowl, add the breadcrumb mixture.
- Set a baking sheet next to your breading set up. You'll place the breaded chicken tenders there before frying. Line a second baking sheet with a few layers of paper towel, set aside for later.
- Dip the chicken tenders into the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour, then dip in egg and lastly in the breadcrumb mixture. Press the chicken into the breadcrumb firmly so it adheres well.
- Place breaded tenders on the baking sheet and let the coating dry for 5 minutes before frying. This helps the coating to set, and stick to the chicken.
- In a wide pan with tall sides, fill with enough oil to come up the sides of the pan approximately ¾ inch. Heat the oil over medium – high heat, until shimmering. *See noteUsing tongs, gently lower the chicken tenders, 3 or so at a time, into the hot oil.(Place them in away from your body, never toward your body. If the oil splatters, you don't want it to hit you.)
- Fry each tender for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and fry for an additional 3 – 4 minutes, until deep golden brown and crispy. Remove chicken from the oil, and place on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb excess oil.
- Drizzle with hot honey and serve warm.
Notes
- When frying chicken tenders, do not overcrowd the pan. If you add too many at the same time, the temperature of the oil will plummet, and you’ll end up with soggy, greasy chicken. Depending on the size of your pan, 3 or 4 at a time is good.
- For the hot honey – If you like a little less heat, you can strain the honey right away.
- To remove the small white tendon in the tenderloins: Thread the tendon through a fork, then hold onto the tendon with a paper towel and pull. It will slide right out.
- To bake instead of frying: Spray the tenders (both sides) with cooking spray and place on a rack inside of a baking sheet (this will help the warm air to circulate around the chicken). Bake at 400°f / 200°c for 15 – 18 minutes.
Nutrition
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These chicken tenders are delicious. Adding the hot honey to it elevates them. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much, Janette! 🙂