Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders
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Sweet and tangy, these baked Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders are so tender and juicy from marinating in buttermilk and pickle juice. You’ll never want to make chicken tenders another way!
They’re perfect for easy dinners or game day and my favorite way to make baked BBQ chicken tenderloins in the oven.
If you want some alternative ways to cook these tenders, try making Chicken Tenderloins in the Air Fryer or these Oven Baked Chicken Tenders.
Why You’ll love this recipe
- Fast and easy: Aside from the chicken sitting to brine (a great time to prepare your sides!), all you need are a few minutes of prep time and 15 minutes in the oven!
- Baked, not fried: These BBQ chicken tenders are lighter than fast food options because they’re oven-baked and not breaded.
- Homemade sauce: Whip up a simple combination of ingredients to make the perfect sticky and sweet honey barbeque sauce.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken tenders: You should be able to find pre-cut chicken tenderloins at the grocery store. You can also cut chicken breasts into strips.
- Seasonings: I season my chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and some salt and pepper to taste.
- Brine: Combining pickle juice and buttermilk to brine the chicken tenders tenderizes the meat, enhances flavor, and helps retain moisture for juicy, flavorful tenders.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- I like to add honey to my favorite BBQ sauce so I can control the sugar content and the type of sugar, but you can also purchase a bottle of honey BBQ sauce instead.
- If you already have chicken breasts on hand, you can slice them into 3 or 4 even strips.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip the brine. They’ll still be tasty, they’re just more tasty if you have the time to brine!
- You can use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
Recipe FAQs
I add my sauce after I bake the tenders! Baking with the sauce already on can cause it to burn.
In this case, yes! All it takes to make a great sauce is 2 ingredients. But feel free to add anything you feel is missing.
Transfer your chicken tenders to an airtight container or plastic bag and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. These also freeze fairly well and can be kept in the freezer for a month or so.
Pop them in the air fryer or reheat in the oven at 350. You could microwave them but the texture might be a little off. You should be able to reheat them right from frozen–they’ll just need a couple extra minutes of cook time!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- Honey Butter Chicken
- Bang Bang Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken in Air Fryer
- Spanakopita Chicken Bake
- Chili Lime Pulled Chicken
If you tried these BBQ Chicken Tenders or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Chicken Brine
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
Instructions
- Combine the buttermilk and pickle juice in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders, making sure they’re fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup pickle juice, 1 lb chicken tenders
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- After brining, remove the chicken tenders from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In the same bowl used for the brine, add the olive oil, toss the chicken to coat, then season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika (if using), salt, and pepper, and toss again to ensure the chicken is evenly coated.1 lb chicken tenders, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Place the seasoned chicken tenders on a lightly greased baking sheet or a baking rack (so they crisp around the edges). Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
- While the chicken is baking, heat the BBQ sauce and honey (or maple syrup) in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until it starts to bubble around the edges. Then remove it from the heat and set aside to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools.1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 1 tablespoon honey
- In the last 5 minutes of baking, remove the chicken tenders from the oven and set the broiler on high. Brush the chicken tenders on both sides with the BBQ sauce and return them to the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes so the sauce can caramelize.
- Remove them from the oven and serve with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.
Notes
- I like to add honey to my favorite BBQ sauce so I can control the sugar content and the type of sugar, but you can also purchase a bottle of honey BBQ sauce instead.
- If you already have chicken breasts on hand, you can slice them into 3 or 4 even strips.
- If you’re short on time, you can skip the brine. They’ll still be tasty, they’re just more tasty if you have the time to brine!
- You can use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
