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Hot honey chicken tenders will take you back to childhood, but with a significant upgrade. A super crunchy coating, baked (not fried!), and then drizzled with sophisticated hot honey. A childhood favorite for adult tastes.
Adapted from Elizabeth Van Lierde | Everyday Entertaining | Weldon Owen, 2021
This Nashville-inspired fried comfort food just got a healthier, oven-baked makeover. One of my favorite things to do is take a really decadent recipe and give it a healthier spin for everyday meals.–Elizabeth Van Lierde
Why our testers loved this
There’s a whole bunch of reasons our recipe testers gobbled these crispy chicken tenders up. They loved that this recipe took a classic childhood favorite and made it healthier and with a grown-up twist.
Robin Currie joined in with her comment, “We loved these hot honey chicken tenders. They were crispy, crunchy, and had plenty of flavor; everything you want in fried chicken, but baked!”
Notes on ingredients
- Honey–Use mild-flavored honey for this recipe. Avoid very strong honey, such as buckwheat or chestnut as their flavor will be overpowering.
- Fresno chile–These red chiles have a medium heat level, and could be substituted with jalapeno or serrano peppers. If you prefer a much spicier hot honey, substitute a Thai chile or another hot chile pepper.
- Chicken breast–If you can get a package of chicken tenders, go ahead and substitute them. They’ll be even more tender than slicing boneless chicken breast.
How to make this recipe
- Make the hot honey. Combine the honey and chile slices in a saucepan and heat gently for 30 to 40 minutes. Whisk in the smoked paprika and keep warm.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set an oiled wire rack inside.
- Prepare the chicken tenders. Slice the chicken into strips. Whisk eggs in one bowl and combine the panko, spices, and oil in a separate bowl.
- Cook the chicken strips. Dip each chicken tender into the egg, then coat with the panko mixture and set on the baking rack. Bake, flipping once, until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Serve. Drizzle the baked chicken tenders with hot honey and serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the difference between chicken breast and tenders?
They both come from (nearly) the same place so what’s the difference? First off, as seen in this superb recipe, you can definitely use chicken breasts to make chicken “fingers.” However, there’s a specific part of the chicken that is just perfect when it comes to this kind of preparation.
Called the tender, there’s a small strip of meat that attaches the breast to the bone. It’s still breast meat, technically, but it’s also more tender and, some say, more flavorful.
You can buy them from your butcher or save them every time you’re cutting up a chicken. Freeze’ em until you have enough to make a meal. Just take care with timing as they’re likely going to cook faster than strips of breast meat.
What should I serve with these?
To truly please your inner child, we highly recommend serving these with baked fries. We also love these served with our spicy barbecue pickles.
Can I make these into nuggets?
Sure. Cut your chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces and follow the recipe. The cooking time will likely be a little shorter, so start checking them for doneness after 20 minutes.
Helpful tips
- Before baking your chicken strips, oil the baking rack well so that the chicken doesn’t stick to it.
- These chicken strips are best eaten immediately after making. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 400°F oven until warmed through and crispy.
- If you’re serving young children or those sensitive to heat, offer a separate dipping sauce, like ranch dressing or honey mustard.
- Leftover hot honey is fantastic on buttermilk fried chicken or drizzled over white pizza.
- This recipe is suitable for dairy-free diets.
More great chicken tender recipes
☞ If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
These chicken fingers are great to make when you’re looking for something classic and easy. They’re crunchy on the outside, succulent on the inside, and drizzled off with a hot honey glaze.
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After the flavors have infused, whisk in the smoked paprika, keep honey warm while preparing chicken.
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Cut chicken breasts into long, tender-size pieces, about 1 1/2 inches (36 mm) thick.
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Preheat oven to 400°F (204°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, place an oven-safe rack on it, spray rack with non-stick spray.
Be sure the rack is well oiled so the crust doesn’t stick and come off when you turn the chicken.
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In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs together. In another shallow bowl, combine panko, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, and olive oil. Mix together until crumbs are coated evenly with olive oil; this will help the chicken become crisp and golden.
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Working with one chicken tender at a time, dip it into eggs, then dredge in the crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into each piece. Place dredged chicken pieces on rack, making sure there are 2 inches (5 cm) in between each chicken piece. Repeat with remaining chicken tenders.
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Sprinkle any remaining crumb mixture onto chicken pieces.
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Bake chicken for 15 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until chicken is crispy and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more.
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Drizzle warm hot honey over chicken tenders before serving.
- Storage and reheating–These chicken strips are best eaten immediately after making. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 400°F oven until warmed through and crispy.
- Alternative dipping sauce–If you’re serving young children or those sensitive to heat, offer a separate dipping sauce, like ranch dressing or honey mustard.
- Leftover hot honey–Leftover hot honey is fantastic on buttermilk fried chicken or drizzled over white pizza.
- Dietary–This recipe is suitable for dairy-free diets.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 462kcal (23%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 39g (78%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 255mg (85%)Sodium: 1226mg (53%)Potassium: 567mg (16%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 20g (22%)Vitamin A: 541IU (11%)Vitamin C: 16mg (19%)Calcium: 77mg (8%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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