Sticky, Sweet Honey Bbq Chicken Tenders: A Tasty Recipe

how to make honey bbq chicken tenders

Honey BBQ chicken tenders are a delicious, sweet, and sticky meal that is perfect for dinner or game day. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk, seasoned, and then coated in a breading before being fried or baked. The tenders are then covered in a honey BBQ sauce, which can be made by combining BBQ sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar. The sauce can also be spiced up with hot sauce or Sriracha. The tenders can be served with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.

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Choosing your chicken

When selecting your chicken, opt for pieces with a good amount of meat on them. Avoid any that look dry or have discoloured spots. It's also important to ensure the chicken is fresh, so check the "best before" date if you're buying it from a store. If you're buying from a butcher or meat counter, ask when the chicken was packaged.

For the best flavour and texture, you'll want to use chicken that is about an inch thick. Thinner pieces may dry out during cooking, while thicker pieces may not cook evenly. If you're cutting chicken breasts into strips, try to make the pieces a uniform size so they cook at the same rate.

Once you've chosen your chicken, you'll need to season it. A simple combination of salt and pepper is all you need to enhance the natural flavour of the meat. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder or paprika for an extra kick, but be careful not to overpower the delicate flavour of the chicken.

Finally, before you start cooking, make sure your chicken is at room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to start cooking to allow it to warm up slightly. This will help ensure that your chicken cooks evenly and stays juicy.

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Marinating the chicken

Firstly, you'll need to gather your ingredients. For the marinade, you'll need buttermilk, salt, and pepper. You can also add other seasonings of your choice, such as garlic powder or paprika, to enhance the flavour. The amount of buttermilk you'll need may vary depending on the amount of chicken you're using, but a good rule of thumb is to have enough to fully coat all the chicken pieces.

Next, prepare your chicken tenders. If you're using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them into strips or tenders. You can also use pre-made chicken tenders if you prefer. Once you have your chicken pieces ready, season them generously with salt and pepper, or your chosen seasonings. Make sure to coat all sides of the chicken evenly.

Now, it's time to combine the chicken and the buttermilk. Place the seasoned chicken tenders in a large zip-top bag or a container with a sealed lid. Pour in enough buttermilk to completely cover the chicken. Seal the container and give it a good shake to ensure that all the chicken pieces are well coated.

Place the container with the chicken and buttermilk marinade in the refrigerator. The chicken should marinate for at least 2 hours, but for the best results, it's recommended to let it sit for up to 24 hours. This extended marination time allows the buttermilk to tenderise the chicken and infuse it with flavour.

Once the chicken has finished marinating, it's ready to be cooked. Remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while you prepare the rest of your ingredients and set up your cooking station. Keep in mind that the chicken should be cooked immediately after removing it from the marinade to ensure the best texture and flavour.

When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a frying pan or a Dutch oven with about 1 inch of cooking oil, such as vegetable oil, to 350°F. You can also use an air fryer set to 360°F if you prefer.

Now, remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. It's important to ensure that the chicken is well-coated but not soggy, as this can affect the final texture. From here, you can proceed with the rest of the recipe, which may include steps for breading and frying or baking the tenders before glazing them with your honey BBQ sauce.

Remember, the marination process is crucial to achieving tender and flavourful honey BBQ chicken tenders. The buttermilk not only tenderises the meat but also helps the seasonings penetrate the chicken, resulting in juicy and delicious tenders that your family and friends will love!

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Preparing the coating

The coating for your honey BBQ chicken tenders will consist of a few dry ingredients and a wet batter. The dry ingredients will be a combination of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. The wet batter will be made from buttermilk, egg, and milk.

Start by preparing the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow bowl and stir to mix everything together. Set this aside for now.

Next, prepare the wet batter. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and milk in a separate shallow bowl. You can also add a bit of hot sauce to this mixture for some extra spice. Set this aside as well.

Now, it's time to coat the chicken! Start by seasoning your chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Then, dip each tender into the wet batter, making sure to coat all sides. After that, dredge the tenders in the dry ingredient mixture, again ensuring that all sides are coated. Shake off any excess flour.

Place the coated tenders on a large plate or baking sheet and repeat the process until all your chicken is breaded. You now have tenders that are coated in a delicious, crispy breading ready to be fried or baked!

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Making the sauce

Combine the barbecue sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a shallow bowl, and whisk to mix. If you want to add hot sauce, do so now and whisk again. You can also heat the sauce mixture in a microwave or on a stovetop over low heat. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and your sauce is ready to use.

If you are making the chicken tenders in the oven, brush the sauce onto the chicken before serving. If you are frying the chicken, gently dip the cooked tenders in the sauce to coat all sides, and serve hot.

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Cooking the chicken

Firstly, preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper.

If you are frying your chicken, heat 1 inch of cooking oil in a frying pan or deep Dutch oven to 350°F.

Now, prepare your chicken tenders. Season them with salt and pepper and marinate in buttermilk for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. The buttermilk will tenderise the chicken and keep it moist and flavourful.

Next, prepare three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, pour some buttermilk. In the second bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, and a little salt and pepper. In the third bowl, mix together barbecue sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce (optional).

Take your chicken tenders and dip them first into the flour mixture, then into the buttermilk, and then back into the flour mixture. Make sure to shake off any excess flour.

If you are frying the tenders, place them in the hot oil, turning them over when golden brown, and remove when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Place the cooked tenders on a cooling rack set over paper towels to absorb excess oil.

If you are baking the tenders, place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, or until cooked through.

Once your tenders are cooked, it's time to add the sauce. Toss the tenders in the honey barbecue sauce, or brush the sauce onto them. Place the sauced tenders back on the baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes to caramelise.

Serve warm and enjoy!

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