These sweet and spicy chicken tenders strike the ideal balance between sticky-sweet comfort and gentle heat. I stumbled upon this combination while experimenting with leftover hot sauce, and now it’s become our go-to for busy weeknights. The glossy, caramelized coating transforms simple frozen strips into something restaurant-worthy in just 30 minutes. 🔥🍯
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Tips for Success
- The key to achieving that gorgeous glossy coating is letting the sauce come to a proper boil before reducing the heat. Don’t rush this step – you want those sugars to fully dissolve and create that signature sticky texture that clings to every piece of chicken.
- Use a medium saucepan rather than a small one to prevent the sauce from bubbling over.
- For extra crispy results, I like to place my chicken strips on a wire rack set over the baking sheet. This allows air to circulate underneath, preventing any sogginess on the bottom.
- Don’t skip the corn syrup – it’s what gives the sauce that shine and helps prevent crystallization. If you don’t have corn syrup on hand, honey works as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- Even though this recipe uses a lot of hot sauce, it’s not extremely spicy – about medium heat level
- These do not reheat well and are best served fresh.
- Can be served with ranch and dill pickles, or used for sliders. Make this crisp apple + carrot slaw as a great ride-along.
- This recipe easily doubles for larger crowds.
Steps + Photos to make this recipe for Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders
Step 1: Get all your ingredients together and preheat your oven to 400°F or air fryer to 360°F
Step 2: While the chicken bakes, combine all sauce ingredients in your medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
Step 3: Reduce heat to low and simmer until the brown sugar completely dissolves and the sauce becomes glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the golden-brown chicken strips from the oven or air fryer – they should be crispy and fully cooked through.
Step 5: Dip each hot chicken strip into the warm sauce, coating all sides completely for maximum flavor coverage.
Step 6: Serve immediately while the coating is still glossy and the chicken maintains its snappy texture.
Tools & Equipment
- Medium saucepan – Essential for preventing sauce overflow and ensuring even heating
- Ungreased baking sheet or air fryer basket – The air fryer is excellent for making precoated tenders super crispy
- Wire baking rack (optional) – For extra crispy results when oven-baking
- Tongs – For safely dipping hot chicken strips in sauce
- Measuring cups and spoons – Accuracy matters for the sauce ratios
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Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 25- oz package frozen Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips or Just Bare brand
- 2 T BBQ sauce
- 1/3 c Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- 1½ c brown sugar
- 1 T corn syrup
- 1 T water
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F, or air fryer to 360°F.
- Bake chicken strips on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400°F for 18-20 minutes, or place chicken strips in a single layer in air fryer and air fry for 11-12 minutes.
- While chicken strips are cooking, add BBQ sauce, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, brown sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium sauce pot and heat over medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat.
- Dip the baked chicken strips in sauce to completely coat on all sides.
- Serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce.
The bottom line
These sweet and spicy chicken tenders deliver restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort, making them an ideal choice for game day gatherings or quick family dinners. The sticky, glossy coating transforms ordinary frozen chicken strips into an irresistible finger food that disappears fast. Eat this easy chicken appetizer on its own or turn them into slider sandwiches—this 30-minute recipe confirms that homemade doesn’t need to be complicated. Just remember – they’re best enjoyed fresh and hot! 🍗✨
