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These hot honey chicken tenders are baked to crispy, juicy perfection and covered in a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce. This better-than-takeout chicken has just the right amount of sweet heat!
They’re crispy. They’re crunchy. And they’re sweet and spicy! You’re going to love these hot honey chicken tenders with crispy cornflakes. I’ve been making these tenders for years and we put them on everything: salads, sandwiches, and even tacos.
Aside from the delicious flavor, they’re also quick to make because chicken tenders cook fast. This spicy sauce takes regular crispy chicken tenders to new heights! You’re going to want to put it on everything. Here’s why I know you’ll love this recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
- Drenched in spicy honey sauce.
- Cooks quickly (15 minutes or less).
- Healthier comfort food with a gluten-free option.
- Easy to customize the spice level.
- You can put them on anyting!
- Tastes just like restaurant Nashville hot chicken.
Love chicken tenders? Try blackened chicken tenders, buffalo chicken salad, or sheet pan everything bagel chicken next!
Ingredients You need
Here are all the ingredients you need to make hot honey-glazed chicken tenders! Jump to recipe for exact measurements.
- Pickle juice: Soak the chicken tenders for 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. It has the same tenderizing effect as a chicken wing brine.
- Chicken tenders: don’t forget to remove the tendon!
- Flour: helps the cornflakes stick to the chicken. I’ve tested this with gluten-free flour and it worked just as well.
- Eggs: to bind the crispy cornflakes to the chicken.
- Spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili falkes, salt and pepper
- Corn flakes: gives them so much crunch. You can pule them in a food processor to grind them finely before you coat. Panko breadcrumbs are another option.
- Coconut oil: this is the base of the hot honey sauce, but butter or vegan butter are great options.
- Garlic: real garlic is a delicious secret to this delicious sauce.
- Honey: You could also swap all of the spices and honey for a pre-made hot honey sauce (like Mike’s hot honey).
- Apple cider vinegar: a little bit of acid helps balance out the sweetness from the honey.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Follow these step-by-step phots to show you how to make these homemade chicken tenders. Jump to recipe card for printable instructions.
- Brine the chicken: Add the chicken tenders to a gallon sized ziplock or reusable storage bag with the pickle juice. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight (no more than 24 hours).
- Dredge: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Make a dredging station with eggs, flour, and cornflakes in three separate bowls. Dip the chicken tenders in the flour, then eggs, then cornflakes and spices.
- Bake: place a wire rack on a parchment lined baking sheet then add the chicken tenders. Bake at 425°F 13-15 minutes.
- Make the hot sauce: Melt coconut oil in a saucepan then add the garlic to crisp. Stir in the spices then the honey. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Cover chicken in hot honey: Drizzle the hot honey over the chicken tenders right out of the oven.
- Serve: enjoy it right away as is or put them on a salad, in tacos, or on a hot honey chicken sandwich.
Tip! Serve it with the pickles from the pickle juice, just like the restaurants do.
Quick Tips
- Remove the tendon: hold the end with a paper towel and pulling a for down and through.
- Bake the chicken on a wire rack: This prevents the chicken from sticking and ensures air circulation around the tenders for perfectly oven fried chicken tenders.
- Use an instant read thermometer: to check the temperature of the chicken. Chicken should be 165°F.
How to Serve Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
- Salad topping: with fresh veggies and a honey mustard dressing.
- Make a sandwich: use a bun, pickles, and your favorite toppings.
- Sides: they’re great with air fryer asparagus, roasted mini peppers, or roasted pesto potatoes.
- Side salads: Try my favorite brussels sprout salad, grilled peach salad, cucumber tomato avocado salad or pear salad with goat cheese.
- Make it an appetizer: Serve them as an appetizer with homemade ranch dressing!
FAQs
You can swap the chicken tenders for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken breasts take longer to bake, about 18-20 minutes at 425.
This is a great recipe to make in the air fryer! Air fryer them fat 400°F for 8 minutes, flipping and spraying with cooking spray halfway through.
Add enough olive oil or avocado oil to a dutch oven to cover the bottom with an inch of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Place the chicken in the oil and fry on each side for 4 minutes, or until the coating is crispy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160-165°F.
We love to make these into nuggets! Cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces and follow the same instructions to dredge and bake the nuggets. They make take a few minutes less to cook, so start checking the temperature of the chicken around 8-10 minutes.
You can soak the chicken tenders in buttermilk instead of pickle juice to tenderize them if you prefer. They achieve the same result!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover hot honey chicken tenders in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375 for 6-8 minutes or in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes.
To freeze, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven or air fryer to it stays nice and crispy.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe
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Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Tenders
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Dill pickles to garnish
Hot Honey Sauce
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Brine the chicken: Add the chicken tenders to a gallon sized ziplock or bowl with the pickle juice. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight (no more than 24 hours).
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper then place a wire rack on top.
- Dredge the chicken: Add the flour and eggs to two separate bowls. Mix the cornflakes and spices in a separate third bowl. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Dip the chicken tenders in the flour, then eggs, then cornflake mixture. Arrange them on a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake: bake them in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Make the hot honey sauce: while the chicken bakes, melt coconut oil saucepan over medium heat. Crisp the garlic for 1-2 minutes then stir in the spices, chili flakes, and honey and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Coat the chicken: Drizzle the hot honey over the chicken tenders right out of the oven. If the sauce is done before the chicken, keep the hot honey on a very low setting to keep it warm until the chicken is ready. Serve with dill pickles and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Video
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Saucepan
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
THE BEST CHICKEN TENDERS I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE! This is NOT A DRILL! I soaked my chicken in pickle juice for a little over 24 hours and let me tell you – I will never not make chicken that hasn’t soaked in pickle juice for 24 hours. This was the juiciest, most tender chicken that I have ever eaten in my life! Being fully candid: the recipe is SO easy but it does take some time to dredge the chicken so plan for that in your cooking time (I am also not a “fast” cooker). So worth it, though, in my opinion!!
LOLOL this is amazing! Not a drill! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Legitimately the best chicken. It’s juicy, crispy, and leaves you full. I made it into sandwiches and subbed the sauce for spicy Mayo.
OMG Hannah, yum!! Making it a sandwich sounds so yum. Thanks for sharing!