Hot Honey Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken breast (Sliced into strips about 1 inch thick and 3–4 inches long; tenderloins may be used instead.)
• 2 cup Buttermilk
• 0.333 cup Pickle juice
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (For the chicken seasoning.)
• 1 tsp Paprika (For the chicken seasoning.)
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (For the chicken seasoning.)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (For the chicken seasoning.)
• 1 tsp Salt (For the chicken seasoning.)
• 1 tsp Black pepper (For the chicken seasoning.)
• Neutral oil (For frying; use enough to fill a large pot or deep skillet 2–3 inches deep.)
• 2 cup All-purpose flour (For the flour mixture.)
• 0.5 cup Cornstarch (For the flour mixture.)
• 1 tsp Baking powder (For the flour mixture.)
• 2 tsp Garlic powder (For the flour mixture seasoning.)
• 2 tsp Paprika (For the flour mixture seasoning.)
• 2 tsp Salt (For the flour mixture seasoning.)
• 2 tsp Black pepper (For the flour mixture seasoning.)
• 0.25 cup Butter (For the hot honey sauce.)
• 2.5 tbsp Hot sauce (Source gives a range of 2–3 tablespoons; Frank’s RedHot is recommended. Nutrition estimated using a typical vinegar-based hot sauce.)
• 0.333 cup Honey (For the hot honey sauce.)
• Buttermilk ranch (For serving; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the chicken breast into strips about 1 inch thick and 3–4 inches long, or use tenderloins. Put the chicken in a mixing bowl.

2. 2

   Add the buttermilk, pickle juice, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, and black pepper for the chicken. Mix to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for extra-tender chicken.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper for the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.

4. 4

   Pour neutral oil into a large pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat it to 350°F (175°C), maintaining that temperature to help crisp the coating without burning it.

5. 5

   Drizzle a little of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture and stir to form small flaky bits.

6. 6

   Shake excess marinade from each chicken strip, then coat it thoroughly in the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour.

7. 7

   Gently place the coated chicken in the hot oil. Leave it undisturbed for the first 1–2 minutes so the crust can set.

8. 8

   Fry for 7–8 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the tenders to a paper towel-lined rack to drain.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

10. 10

    Add the honey and 2–3 tablespoons of hot sauce. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and warmed through.

11. 11

    Toss the crispy tenders with the hot honey sauce or brush the sauce over them. Serve immediately with buttermilk ranch.

Notes

The transcript also mentions air-frying as an option but gives no air-fryer temperature or timing, so those details are not specified. The listed method is for deep-frying. The accompanying buttermilk ranch is suggested for serving, but no ranch recipe is provided.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• crispy
• fried
• deep-fried
• spicy
• sweet-and-spicy