Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 924kcal
These Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders are coated until golden and crispy, then brushed with a sticky homemade honey BBQ sauce and served with creamy Comeback Sauce for dipping. Using chicken tenderloins (mini fillets) keeps the prep quick and easy, while a few simple coating tricks help you get that craggy, crispy finish at home. Serve with coleslaw and crispy potato wedges for a fun, family-friendly weekend fakeaway.
Ingredients
Crispy Coating
- 375 g (2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 90 g (¾ cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Wet Mixture
- 375 ml (1½ cups) buttermilk
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
Chicken
- 800 g (1¾ lb) chicken tenderloins (mini fillets) (see note 1)
Honey BBQ Sauce
- 125 g (½ cup) ketchup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1–2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste (see note 2)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
To Cook
- Neutral oil, for deep-frying (see note 3)
Comeback Sauce
- ½ cup (125 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Frank's) (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
To serve
Instructions
- Make the crispy coating – Lay a large sheet of baking (parchment) paper on your work surface. Add all the crispy coating ingredients, then mix to combine. Using baking paper helps with coating the chicken and keeps clean-up to a minimum.
- Make the wet mixture – In a separate large, shallow bowl, whisk together the wet mixture ingredients.
- Coat the chicken – Working with one chicken tenderloin at a time, lightly coat it in the crispy coating, shaking off any excess (this first light coating helps the final coating adhere to the chicken). Dip it into the wet mixture, allowing the excess to drip away, then return to the crispy coating. Use the baking paper to help toss and press the coating firmly onto the chicken, creating a craggy crust with plenty of crispy edges. Transfer to a wire rack or plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Make the honey BBQ sauce – Add the ketchup, honey, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and hot sauce to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter for a smooth, glossy finish. Set aside and keep warm.
- Make the Comeback Sauce – In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Fry the chicken (see note 4 for air frying) – Pour enough oil into a large, deep, heavy-based pan to come about 5 cm (2 inches) up the side. Heat over medium–high heat. The oil is ready when the end of a wooden spoon dipped into the oil produces a steady stream of small bubbles around it. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and lowering the oil temperature, add the chicken and leave it undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, or until a golden crust has formed underneath. Don’t be tempted to move or turn it too early, as this can cause the coating to come away from the chicken. Turn and continue cooking for 5–6 minutes in total, or until golden, crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack so the excess oil can drain without the underside becoming soggy. I like to place the wire rack on a tray lined with baking paper for easier clean-up and neat presentation.
- Coat and serve – Leave the fried chicken on the wire rack and lightly brush with the warm honey BBQ sauce. Brushing rather than tossing helps keep the crispy coating intact. Use just enough sauce to coat the chicken while leaving some of those crispy edges exposed. Serve immediately with the Comeback Sauce for dipping and coleslaw and wedges on the side.
Notes
Note 1 – Chicken tenderloins I love using chicken tenderloins (mini fillets) here because there’s no chopping required and they cook quickly and evenly. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead. Simply slice it into strips roughly the same size as chicken tenderloins. Depending on the thickness, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
Note 2 – Hot sauce The hot sauce adds a little heat and helps balance the sweetness of the honey BBQ sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon for a milder, family-friendly version or add more to taste. You can leave it out completely if you prefer.
Note 3 – Oil for frying Use a neutral-flavoured oil suitable for frying. I use light olive oil, but avocado oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, vegetable oil or rice bran oil all work well. You’ll need enough to come approximately 5 cm (2 inches) up the side of your pan.
Note 4 – Air fryer option This recipe has been developed for deep-frying, which is what gives the chicken that deeply golden, craggy, extra-crispy coating. If you’re really craving Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders but don’t want to deep-fry, you can air fry them instead. The coating won’t be quite as golden or craggy, but they’ll still be delicious. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F), arrange the coated chicken in a single layer and spray generously all over with oil, making sure there are no dry flour patches. Air fry for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway and spraying any remaining dry spots with extra oil, until golden and cooked through. Brush with the warm honey BBQ sauce just before serving.
Make Ahead
There are several parts of this recipe you can prepare ahead, which makes the final coating and frying much easier when you’re ready to eat.- Crispy coating – Combine all the crispy coating ingredients up to 1 day ahead. Store covered at room temperature until ready to use.
- Chicken and wet mixture – Combine the buttermilk and seasonings, then mix through a small amount of the crispy coating (2 tablespoons) to create a slightly thicker, claggy mixture. Add the chicken tenderloins and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to cook, allow the excess wet mixture to drip from the chicken, press directly into the reserved crispy coating, then fry as per the recipe. With this make-ahead method, be particularly careful not to move or turn the chicken too early – give the coating time to form a firm, golden crust underneath first so it stays attached.
- Honey BBQ sauce – Make up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Gently reheat in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until warm, before brushing it over the freshly fried chicken.
- Comeback Sauce – Make up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving. This is actually great to make ahead, as the flavours have time to mingle.
Leftovers
Fried chicken is always at its best freshly cooked, but leftovers are still delicious if reheated properly.- Refrigerate – Allow the cooked chicken to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you know you’ll have leftovers, leave some of the chicken unbrushed with the honey BBQ sauce and store the sauce separately – the coating will stay much crisper.
- Reheat – Reheat the chicken in a 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) oven for 8–10 minutes, or in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 4–6 minutes, until hot and crisp. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it will soften the coating. Once reheated, brush with warm honey BBQ sauce and serve with the Comeback Sauce.
- Already sauced chicken – You can reheat chicken that has already been brushed with the honey BBQ sauce, but the coating won’t be quite as crisp. Use the oven or air fryer and keep an eye on it, as the sugars in the sauce can caramelise quickly.
- Freeze – Unsauced cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 2 months. Cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight container or reusable freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
- Use it differently – Leftover chicken is great sliced and added to wraps, burgers or salads. If the coating has lost some of its crunch, this is my favourite way to use it rather than trying to recreate that freshly fried texture.
Variations
Mix up the sauces – The honey BBQ sauce and Comeback Sauce are delicious, but you can easily change things up depending on what you’re craving. Leave the chicken plain and serve the crispy tenders with my BEST Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce, Easy Hot Honey Sauce or Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Or brush the chicken with the Easy Hot Honey Sauce instead of the honey BBQ sauce for a sweet and spicy variation.Recipe source
Inspired by Ima Kabil on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ima.kabil/ Original source of inspo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ8mOw0OgBs/Nutrition Facts
Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders
Amount per Serving
Calories
924
% Daily Value*
Fat
33
g
51
%
Saturated Fat
10
g
63
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
9
g
Monounsaturated Fat
12
g
Cholesterol
126
mg
42
%
Sodium
2143
mg
93
%
Potassium
1147
mg
33
%
Carbohydrates
105
g
35
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
32
g
36
%
Protein
49
g
98
%
Calcium
212
mg
21
%
Iron
6
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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