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Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ben Carraoli

Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe

The first time I tried making hot honey chicken tenders, my family couldn't stop raving about them. The crispy exterior, paired with the sweet and spicy honey drizzle, created a meal full of flavor in every bite.
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Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Snack
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Marinade
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders
  • Dredge
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • Hot Honey
  • 2 ½ cups honey
  • 5 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 2 ½ tablespoons cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • For Frying
  • Vegetable oil or shortening
  • Kosher salt for sprinkling

Method
 

  1. Start by whisking together buttermilk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders to the mixture and toss to coat evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. This step ensures the chicken stays tender and juicy.
  2. While the chicken marinates, set up your dredging station. Mix flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, baking powder, and black pepper in one bowl. Beat the eggs with hot sauce and a splash of water in another bowl. The double dredge process is key to creating the golden, crunchy coating.
  3. Take the marinated chicken and dip each piece in the flour mixture, pressing to ensure it sticks. Next, coat the chicken in the egg mixture before dredging it in the flour mixture again. Place the coated tenders on a wire rack and allow them to rest for 15 minutes to firm up the coating.
  4. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully fry the chicken tenders in batches, flipping once, until they’re golden brown. This usually takes about 3 minutes per side. Transfer them to a wire rack to drain excess oil and sprinkle with salt for extra flavor.
  5. combine honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm the mixture over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to infuse the flavors. Once done, remove it from the heat and set aside to thicken slightly.
  6. Arrange the crispy tenders on a serving plate and generously drizzle them with hot honey. Serve additional sauce on the side for dipping, and enjoy!