The Sweet and Spicy Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe is perfect for a fast family meal, taking only 30 minutes to prepare with just a few pantry staples. These succulent chicken strips, coated in a delicious homemade hot honey sauce, offer an amazing flavor that pairs wonderfully with garlic butter rice or dinner rolls.
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Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe
I sliced the chicken breast into long strips and sautéed them in oil with a mix of spices, then simmered them in a homemade hot and spicy honey sauce. I finished it off with roasted sesame seeds for a delightful nutty crunch in every bite. Garnishing with scallions adds a refreshing touch that makes the dish even more appealing. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing chicken tenderloins at home.
Tender, juicy chicken tenderloins coated in a sticky sauce offer a wonderful balance of sweet and sour flavors, enhanced by the bold kick of red chili flakes. This recipe can also be adapted for chicken wings, tenders, breasts, or thighs.
When it comes to chicken finger food recipes, hot honey chicken tenders are truly exceptional in flavor. I personally enjoy how the glaze perfectly complements the chicken, making it an ideal pairing with rice.
Why Do I Love This Recipe?
- This recipe is straightforward, effortless, and fast! You can whip it up in just 30 minutes.
- It requires only a handful of ingredients that are typically found in your pantry, so there's no need for a last-minute trip to the store.
- It's incredibly simple to prepare, making it a perfect option for novice cooks looking for an easy dinner idea.
- While it does have a bit of spice, you can adjust the heat level to ensure that kids will enjoy it too.
- It's perfect for a family dinner on a weeknight or for entertaining guests.
- This recipe can be conveniently made in advance.
Ingredients
Chicken Tenders: Purchase chicken tenderloins or slice chicken breasts into strips. Fresh options are preferable.
Olive Oil: This is used for sautéing the chicken tenders.
Spices: Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper during the sautéing process.
Hot Honey Sauce: Combine butter, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, red chili flakes, and honey to make the sauce. Here is the full recipe to follow.
Garnish (Optional): Enhance the dish by adding roasted sesame seeds and finely sliced scallions as a finishing touch.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Strips
Let's start this recipe by slicing the chicken breast down the center, then cut each half into long strips. There's no need to pound the chicken for this recipe; you can choose to create strips of varying thickness. Alternatively, you can opt for pre-packaged chicken tenders from the grocery store.
Step 2: Sauté the Chicken
Heat olive oil in a pan over high heat and add the chicken strips. Cook until they turn golden brown. Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, ensuring everything is well combined. Continue frying until the chicken is fully cooked, then remove it from the pan and set aside.
Step 3: Preparation of Hot Honey Sauce
In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red chili flakes, sautéing for a few seconds. Then, pour in the honey and stir quickly to create a thick sauce.
Keep the heat moderate to prevent burning, adjusting the sauce's consistency with water or chicken stock as needed. Once the sauce thickens, return the sautéed chicken tenders to the pan and mix thoroughly.
Cover and let it simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes to ensure the chicken becomes tender. After the time is up, give it another mix, transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with roasted sesame seeds and fresh scallions for an appealing finish.
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Tips and Variations
- For perfectly juicy and moist chicken tenders, always cook them at high heat to seal in the juices. This method ensures that the flavor remains locked inside, making each bite more delicious.
- To achieve maximum moisture, consider brining the tenders for about 10 minutes before cooking.
- Ensure the strips are cut to a half-inch thickness for optimal results. Be cautious not to overcook the chicken, as this can lead to a rubbery texture. Additionally, avoid heating hot honey sauce at high temperatures, as it can impart a burnt or bitter flavor.
- Fresh garlic can easily replace garlic powder, and adding roasted sesame seeds will introduce a delightful nutty taste to the chicken.
- Feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your spice preferences. I opted for red chili flakes, which pack a significant heat.
How to Store and Reheat
Store the leftover chicken tenders in an airtight glass container and place it in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
When ready to eat, reheat them in the microwave or on a skillet. If they appear too sticky or dry, add a little water and a spoonful of honey to enhance the flavor before serving.
What to Serve with Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders, strips, or fingers are incredibly tasty and can be enjoyed in many different ways. This recipe pairs wonderfully with Garlic butter rice, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, skillet corn and roasted potatoes.
For a dinner setting, serving it with rice and dinner rolls makes for a satisfying complete meal.
Similar Recipes, you can try:
- Honey garlic lemon pepper chicken
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Breast Recipe
- Honey Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Q & A
The flavor profile is a delightful mix of spicy, sweet, and tangy. The addition of red chili flakes amps up the heat, while honey brings in a touch of sweetness, and the other spices contribute to a savory depth.
You can absolutely do this! Simply sauté the chicken tenders and then pour the sauce over them, allowing it to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes so the flavors can really soak into the chicken.
Just add a splash of water and some honey, then cook for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. The honey's sweetness will counterbalance the spiciness and create a lovely glaze for the sauce.
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Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
To Sauté Chicken
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 350 g Chicken tenders
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
For Honey Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
- 2 tablespoon Honey
For Garnish
- 1 teaspoon Roasted Sesame for garnish
- Scallions Ribbons for garnish
Instructions
Prepare Chicken Strips
- Let's start this recipe by slicing the chicken breast down the center, and then cutting it in half to create long chicken strips.
- There's no need to pound the chicken for this recipe. You can choose to make either thick or thin strips based on your preference.
- Alternatively, you can opt for pre-made chicken tenders available at the grocery store.
Sautéing Chicken Tenders
- Heat a pan and add olive oil, then sauté the chicken over high heat until it changes color.
- Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Mix thoroughly and continue frying until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Take it out from the pan and keep it on the side.
Preparing the Hot Honey Sauce
- In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red chili flakes. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Pour in honey and stir quickly to create a thick sauce, ensuring you cook it at medium heat to prevent burning. Adjust the sauce's consistency with water or chicken stock as needed.
- Pour honey and stir it quickly to make a thick sauce. Make sure to cook the sauce at medium temperature to avoid burning taste. Manage the sauce consistency with water/chicken stock.
Combining Sautéed Tenders with Sauce
- Once the sauce thickens, add the sautéed chicken tenders and mix well. Cover the pan on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes to ensure the chicken becomes soft and tender.
- After 20 minutes, give it another mix, transfer it to a serving platter, and garnish with roasted sesame seeds. Enhance the dish's appeal with a sprinkle of scallions for a fresh touch.
Video
Notes
- To achieve chicken tenders that are juicy and moist, always cook them over high heat to lock in the juices.
- This technique keeps the flavor intact, making every bite more enjoyable.
- For even more moisture, try to brine the tenders for about 10 minutes before cooking. Make sure to slice the chicken tenders to a half-inch thickness for the best results.
- Be careful not to overcook them, as this can result in a rubbery texture.
- When making hot honey sauce, keep the temperature low to avoid a burnt or bitter flavor.
- You can swap out garlic powder for fresh garlic to enhance the taste.
- Adding roasted sesame seeds will give the chicken a lovely nutty flavor.
- Feel free to tweak the recipe to match your spice level;
- I used red chili flakes for a nice kick.
Hinz
Let me know if you try this hot honey chicken tenders recipe. Do you make the same or breaded version?