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–+ servings
Holding a honey garlic chicken tender.
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Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

These honey garlic chicken tenders start with a brine for maximum juiciness, then gets fried until golden brown and irresistibly crispy before being tossed in a glossy, sweet, sticky, garlicky, honey sauce. They are perfect for game day, parties, or any occasion when you need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! For more fried chicken recipes to please a crowd, also check out our Korean fried chicken, Taiwanese fried chicken, and Chicken Karaage!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Optional brining time2 hours
Total Time40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
 

Chicken and optional brine:

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon msg or substitute with ½ teaspoon more salt per teaspoon msg
  • 2 pounds chicken tender
  • Oil for frying any neutral, high smoke point oil

Dry dredge:

Wet batter:

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt preferably fine salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Honey garlic sauce:

Instructions

  • Brine the chicken:
    This step is optional to ensure the chicken tenders are extra juicy, but you can totally skip it and go straight to the next steps.
    In a large mixing bowl or a gallon-size resealable bag, add the water, salt and msg. Mix until the salt and msg has dissolved, then add the chicken tenders, making sure the tenders are fully submerged in the brine. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • Make the dry dredge:
    In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the dry dredge (flour, onion and garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper) and mix until well combined.
  • Make the wet batter and seed the dry dredge:
    In an another medium or large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the wet batter and whisk until smooth.
    Then drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of the wet batter into the dry dredge to seed the dredge. Give the dry dredge a mix and you should get small shaggy flour pieces, which will give your tenders extra crispy bits.
  • Batter the chicken:
    Prepare a sheet pan or a plate. If brining, remove the chicken from the brine and let the extra brining liquid drip off. Then place the chicken tender into the prepared wet batter. Give the tenders a thorough mix so that all the tenders are well coated.
    Working with a couple of tenders at a time, place the battered tenders into the bowl of dry dredge and coat well. Make sure to pack the dry dredge onto the tenders then gently shake off the excess flour. Set the tenders aside in the sheet pan or plate and repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
  • Fry the tenders:
    Heat at least 2 inches (5cm) of oil to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a sheet pan with a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels, and a pair of tongs.
    When the oil is ready, gently lower the chicken tenders into the hot oil and let them fry for 6-8 minutes, or until the tenders are golden brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside, with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken tenders and allow them to drain on the rack or paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders but make sure to not overcrowd the oil.
  • Make the sauce:
    In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and the garlic just starts to brown, about 30 seconds. Then add the honey, sugar, and soy sauce and mix well. Bring the sauce to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes to slightly thicken. Make sure to keep an eye on the sauce because it'll get very foamy. Also, the sauce will be very hot so be careful!
  • Finish:
    To serve, you can toss the chicken with the sauce in the pan or in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can serve the sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy the chicken tenders while they're hot.

Notes

Please refer to the post above for step by step photo reference, tips, ingredient notes, storage, and reheating.
  • Msg - This is totally optional to give the chicken an extra but subtle layer of flavor.
  • Increasing the recipe size - If you're doubling the recipe, the dry dredge only needs to be multiplied by 1.5 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (3-4 tenders) | Calories: 879.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 128.2g | Protein: 60.6g | Fat: 14.6g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 210.4mg | Sodium: 2953.8mg | Potassium: 1176.3mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 71.3g | Vitamin A: 854.9IU | Vitamin C: 6.6mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 5.3mg
Keywords: crispy tenders, easy recipe, fried chicken, fried chicken tenders
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