Description
Crispy sticky chicken tenders showcase Southern comfort with tangy honey-sriracha glaze. Crunchy exterior and juicy interior make this dish irresistible for weeknight dinners you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 25 oz (708 g) frozen crispy chicken strips
- 1.5 cups (340 g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- 2 tbsps BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 1 tbsp water
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat conventional oven to 400°F (204°C) or air fryer to 385°F (196°C), selecting preferred cooking method.
- Positioning: Arrange chicken tenders in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet or air fryer basket, ensuring pieces do not overlap or crowd.
- Cooking: Bake chicken tenders for 18-20 minutes in conventional oven or 11-12 minutes in air fryer, rotating midway through cooking to achieve uniform browning and crispy exterior.
- Glaze Creation: Combine hot sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan, heating over medium-high temperature until mixture reaches a rolling boil.
- Sauce Refinement: Reduce heat to low, simmering for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves and sauce develops a glossy, thickened consistency.
- Coating Process: Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool slightly, then carefully dip each cooked chicken tender to ensure complete and even coverage.
- Serving: Transfer sauce-coated chicken tenders to a serving platter, accompanying with additional dipping sauce if desired, and serve immediately while hot and sticky.
Notes
- Maximize Crispiness: Use paper towels to pat chicken tenders completely dry before seasoning to remove excess moisture, ensuring a crunchier exterior.
- Prevent Sauce Burning: Keep sauce on low heat and stir constantly to avoid scorching, which can create bitter flavors and ruin the glaze.
- Layer for Perfect Coating: Dip chicken tenders twice in sauce for extra-glossy, thick sticky layer that clings perfectly to each piece.
- Temperature Matters: Allow chicken to rest 2-3 minutes after cooking before glazing to help sauce adhere better and prevent immediate sauce absorption.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 543
- Sugar: 43 g
- Sodium: 1130 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg