Hot Honey Chicken Tender takes 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 Entertainment | 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 make it healthier for everyday meals. –Elizabeth van Lierde
Why our testers loved this
There’s a whole host of reasons why our recipe testers devoured these crispy chicken breast fillets. They loved that this recipe lasted classic childhood favorite and made it healthier and with one adult twist.
Robin Currie followed suit with her comment: “We loved these Hot Honey Chicken Tenders. They are crispy, crunchy and had lots of flavor; anything you want in fried chicken but baked!”
Notes on ingredients
- Treasure–Use mild honey for this recipe. Avoid very strong honeys like buckwheat or chestnut as their flavor is overpowering.
- Fresno Chile–These red chilies are medium hot and can be substituted with jalapeno or serrano peppers. If you prefer a much spicier hot honey, substitute Thai chili or another hot chili pepper.
- Chicken breast-If you can get a pack of chicken tenders, go ahead and replace them. They’ll turn out even more tender than slicing boneless chicken breasts.
How to make this recipe
- Make the hot honey. Combine the honey and chili slices in a saucepan and gently heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika and keep warm.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and place an oiled wire rack inside.
- Prepare the chicken tenders. Cut the chicken into strips. Whisk eggs in a bowl and mix panko, spices, and oil in a separate bowl.
- Cook the chicken strips. Dip each chicken breast fillet in the egg, then brush with the panko mixture and place on the baking rack. Bake, turning once, until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Surcharge. Drizzle hot honey over the baked chicken breasts and serve immediately.
Frequently asked questions about recipes
What is the difference between chicken breast and tender?
They both come from (almost) the same place, so what’s the difference? First off, as can be seen in this excellent recipe, you can definitely use chicken breasts to make chicken “fingers”. However, there is a certain part of the chicken that is fair Perfect when it comes to this type of preparation.
Called a tender, there is a small strip of meat that attaches the breast to the bone. It’s still technically breast meat, but it’s also more tender and, some say, spicier.
You can buy them from your butcher or keep them every time you butcher a chicken. Freeze them until you have enough to make a meal. Just be mindful of the timing as they will likely cook faster than brisket strips.
What should I serve with it?
To really please your inner child, we highly recommend serving these with baked fries. We also love these with our spicy grilled pickles.
Can I make nuggets out of this?
Secure. Cut your chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces and follow the recipe. Cooking time will likely be a little shorter, so start checking after 20 minutes to see if they’re done.
Helpful tips
- Before you bake your chicken strips, oil the baking grid well to prevent the chicken from sticking to it.
- These chicken strips are best eaten immediately after preparation. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 400F oven until warmed through and crispy.
- If serving young children or those sensitive to heat, offer a separate dipping sauce, such as B. Ranch dressing or honey mustard.
- Leftover hot honey is fantastic on buttermilk fried chicken or on white pizza.
- This recipe is suitable for a dairy-free diet.
More great chicken tender recipes
☞ If you prepare this recipe or any other dish on LC, consider leaving a reviewa Rating in starsand your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Hot Honey Chicken Tender
These Chicken Fingers are great when you’re looking for something classic and simple. They’re crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and drizzled with a hot honey glaze.
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In a small saucepan, whisk together honey and Fresno chilli slices over low heat. Heat gently for 30 to 40 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
To save time, prepare the chicken while the honey is simmering. It will be ready around the same time as the chicken finishes baking.
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After the flavors are absorbed, stir in the smoked paprika and keep the honey warm while you cook the chicken.
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Cut the chicken breasts into long, tender pieces, about 1 1/2 inches (36mm) thick.
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Preheat oven to 400°F (204°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, place an ovenproof rack on top, spray the rack with non-stick spray.
Make sure the grate is well oiled so the crust doesn’t stick and fall off when you turn the chicken.
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Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the panko, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, and olive oil. Mix together until crumbs are evenly coated with olive oil; This will make the chicken crispy and golden.
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Working with one chicken breast fillet at a time, dip in eggs, then dip in the crumb mixture and press the crumbs into each piece. Place the dredged chicken pieces on the grid, making sure there is a 5cm space between each chicken piece. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast fillets.
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Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture onto the chicken pieces.
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Bake chicken for 15 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until chicken is crispy and cooked through, another 10 to 15 minutes.
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Before serving, drizzle warm, hot honey over the chicken breasts.
- Storage and Rewarming–These chicken strips are best eaten immediately after preparation. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a rack in a rimmed baking sheet and heat in a 400F oven until warmed through and crispy.
- Alternate Dipping Sauce–If serving young children or those sensitive to heat, offer a separate dipping sauce, such as B. Ranch dressing or honey mustard.
- Leftover Hot Honey–Leftover hot honey is fantastic on buttermilk fried chicken or on white pizza.
- Nutrition-This recipe is suitable for a dairy-free diet.
Portion: 1portionCalories: 462kcal (23%)Carbohydrates: 36G (12%)Protein: 39G (78%)Fat: 18G (28%)Saturated Fatty Acids: 4G (25%)Polyunsaturated fat: 3GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 9GTrans fats: 1GCholesterol: 255mg (85%)Sodium: 1226mg (53%)Potassium: 567mg (16%)Fiber: 2G (8th%)Sugar: 20G (22%)Vitamin A: 541ie (11%)Vitamin C: 16mg (19%)Calcium: 77mg (8th%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with a hashtag #LeitesCulinaria. We would love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook and others Twitter.
Recipe tester reviews
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with a hashtag #LeitesCulinaria. We would love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook and others Twitter.