Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 2 cups milk, or buttermilk
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, poked with holes
For the Dry Mix
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
For the Wet Mix
- 1/2 dry mix, of the prepared dry mix
- 1/2 cup sparkling water, or as needed, to form a batter
- 1 egg
For the Hot Honey Sauce
- 50 g butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 50 ml Sriracha, or any hot sauce
- 1 fresh chili pepper, chopped
For the Ranch Sauce
- 90 ml mayo
- 30 ml milk
- 45 ml sour cream, or heavy cream
- 7.5 ml lemon juice
- 7.5 ml pickle juice
- 5 g chives, finely chopped
- 5 g dill, finely chopped
- 5 g parsley, finely chopped
- 5 ml garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
For Frying
- 4 cups frying oil, or as needed for deep frying
Instructions
- 1
Poke holes in the chicken tenders with a fork. Place the chicken in a bowl or container and pour the milk or buttermilk over it. Ensure the chicken is fully submerged. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or ideally overnight for best results.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 1 tablespoon chili flakes. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined. This is your dry mix.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg. Add half of the prepared dry mix to the egg. Gradually add sparkling water, whisking continuously, until a smooth, thick batter forms. This is your wet mix.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Heat frying oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 175-185°C (350-365°F). While the oil heats, remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. Lightly dredge each chicken tender in the dry mix. Then, coat it in the wet mix, followed by another coating in the dry mix, then wet mix, and finally a last coating in the dry mix. This creates a double-fried, extra crispy coating.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Carefully place the coated chicken tenders into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry for 5-7 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F). Remove from oil and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 180
- 6
While the chicken fries, prepare the hot honey sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the honey, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, Sriracha, and chopped fresh chili pepper. Stir to combine and gently warm the sauce through, do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
In a large bowl, toss the freshly fried chicken tenders with the warm hot honey sauce until each piece is fully coated.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
To make the ranch sauce, combine the mayo, milk, sour cream (or heavy cream), lemon juice, pickle juice, finely chopped chives, dill, parsley, and garlic powder in a jar or small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Close the jar and shake vigorously, or whisk until all ingredients are well combined and the sauce is smooth.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Serve the Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Tenders immediately with the homemade ranch sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
For the Chicken Marinade
- 2 cups milk, or buttermilk
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, poked with holes
For the Dry Mix
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
For the Wet Mix
- 1/2 dry mix, of the prepared dry mix
- 1/2 cup sparkling water, or as needed, to form a batter
- 1 egg
For the Hot Honey Sauce
- 50 g butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 50 ml Sriracha, or any hot sauce
- 1 fresh chili pepper, chopped
For the Ranch Sauce
- 90 ml mayo
- 30 ml milk
- 45 ml sour cream, or heavy cream
- 7.5 ml lemon juice
- 7.5 ml pickle juice
- 5 g chives, finely chopped
- 5 g dill, finely chopped
- 5 g parsley, finely chopped
- 5 ml garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
For Frying
- 4 cups frying oil, or as needed for deep frying
Instructions
- 1
Poke holes in the chicken tenders with a fork. Place the chicken in a bowl or container and pour the milk or buttermilk over it. Ensure the chicken is fully submerged. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or ideally overnight for best results.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 1 tablespoon chili flakes. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined. This is your dry mix.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg. Add half of the prepared dry mix to the egg. Gradually add sparkling water, whisking continuously, until a smooth, thick batter forms. This is your wet mix.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Heat frying oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 175-185°C (350-365°F). While the oil heats, remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. Lightly dredge each chicken tender in the dry mix. Then, coat it in the wet mix, followed by another coating in the dry mix, then wet mix, and finally a last coating in the dry mix. This creates a double-fried, extra crispy coating.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Carefully place the coated chicken tenders into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry for 5-7 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 74°C / 165°F). Remove from oil and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 180 - 6
While the chicken fries, prepare the hot honey sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the honey, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, Sriracha, and chopped fresh chili pepper. Stir to combine and gently warm the sauce through, do not boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
In a large bowl, toss the freshly fried chicken tenders with the warm hot honey sauce until each piece is fully coated.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
To make the ranch sauce, combine the mayo, milk, sour cream (or heavy cream), lemon juice, pickle juice, finely chopped chives, dill, parsley, and garlic powder in a jar or small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Close the jar and shake vigorously, or whisk until all ingredients are well combined and the sauce is smooth.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Serve the Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Tenders immediately with the homemade ranch sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!
⏱️ 1 min