Hot Honey Chicken Tenders (CRISPY!) (VIDEO)

Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Tenders on a plate.

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Hot Honey Chicken Tenders (CRISPY!) (VIDEO)

Hot Honey Chicken Tenders are double fried until they're crispy and coated in a delicious homemade hot honey sauce that is addictively sweet and spicy!

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Total Time1 15

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Ingredients

Spice Mix:

1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon white pepper

Chicken Brine:

2 cup buttermilk
½ cup hot sauce
1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
2 pounds chicken tenders

Dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup potato starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 quarts neutral oil for frying

Hot Honey Sauce

1 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 star anise pods

Instructions

In a small bowl, add the garlic powder, onion powder, chicken bouillon powder, paprika, and white pepper. Mix together until combined to create the Spice Mix.
In a large bowl, add the buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the Spice Mix. Whisk until combined, then add the chicken tenders and marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
In a tray, mix together the flour, cornstarch, potato starch, baking powder, and the remainder of the Spice Mix until combined.
Place the chicken tenders and tray with the dredge next to each other in a line next to a wire rack lined baking sheet. Let any excess brine fall off the chicken tender, then dredge in the dry dredge. Dip it back into the brine, then once more into the dredge. Let it rest on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
Add the oil to a dutch oven or heavy bottom potand heat the oil to 325°F over medium high heat. Fry the chicken tenders in batches for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and remove. Repeat until all the tenders are fried.
Heat the oil to 375°F and fry all the chicken tenders for a 2^nd time for 2 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove and let rest on a wire rack.
In a small saucepan, add the hot sauce, honey, garlic powder and butter over medium heat. Mix with a spatula until the honey is dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the star anise pods and turn off the heat. Let the star anise pods steep for 4-5 minutes before removing them.
Add the chicken tenders to a bowl and pour over the sauce. Toss until coated and enjoy!

Video

Notes

chicken bouillon powder - I love adding chicken bouillon powder to my chicken marinades to really reinforce the chicken flavor! Many chicken bouillon powders already include salt, hence why there is no added salt in the recipe. If your chicken bouillon powder is salt-free, add ½ tablespoon of kosher salt to the seasoning mix.
chicken tenders – technically, chicken breasts and tenderloins are not the same thing (the tenderloin is a muscle underneath the breast and are more tender) – however, for this recipe, you can also use breasts cut into thin slices.
unsalted butter - use unsalted butter to avoid the sauce being too salty.

These Hot Honey Chicken Tenders taste best when served fresh (so they are at their crispiest!).

Storage and Reheating - Store any leftover Hot Honey Chicken Tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the tenders will not stay crispy once refrigerated. Reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 6-8 minutes until crispy, or on a wire rack in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes until crispy and warmed through. You can also reheat them quickly in the microwave, if you don’t care about the texture. You can make the Hot Honey Sauce in advance and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to a week.

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