Honey Chipotle Chicken Tenders
Crispy, golden, and glazed with a sweet-spicy kick—these Honey Chipotle Chicken Tenders are the ultimate upgrade to your fried chicken cravings. Marinated in tangy buttermilk with a touch of hot sauce, each tender gets a flavorful soak that locks in juiciness, while a seasoned flour coating promises a perfect crunch. As soon as they’re fried to a golden crisp, these tenders are tossed in a sticky honey chipotle glaze that balances sweetness with just the right amount of smoky heat. Dip them in cool ranch dressing for the perfect finish to every mouthwatering bite.
Ingredients
- Ranch dressing for serving
- Vegetable oil for frying
Chicken Tender Marinade
- 3-4 lbs chicken tenders
- 1 pint buttermilk
- 3 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic grated
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Seasoned Flour
- 2 cups flour AP
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Honey Chipotle Sauce
- 1 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
Chicken Tender Marinade
- In a large bowl or zip lock bag, add all ingredients listed under “Chicken Tender Marinade” and mix thoroughly.
- Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Honey Chipotle Sauce
- In a pan over medium low heat, add all ingredients listed under “Honey Chipotle Sauce.” Stir and allow the sauce to simmer and come to a boil.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes and as the sauce reduces it will thicken. Once thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and set aside.
Seasoned Flour
- In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients listed under “Seasoned Flour” and set aside.
Assemble
- Heat a large pot of vegetable to 350F.
- Once the chicken is marinated, working in batches, dredge each piece in the seasoned flour until well coated.
- Shake off excess flour and gentle place into the heated oil.
- Fry batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too quickly.
- All the tenders to fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165F.
- Transfer cooked tenders to a bowl and toss with the honey chipotle sauce.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!