Hot honey & Parmesan crumbed chicken tenders
Jump on the latest food trend with my latest post on all things hot honey, including a recipe for hot honey chicken tenders. Plus, more ideas with chicken tenderloins.
In this newsletter:
Hot honey magic
Hot honey Parmesan crumbed chicken tenders
More recipes using chicken tenders
Hot honey magic
The first time I came across hot honey was in a ‘hot honey crispy chicken sandwich’ someone shared on Instagram. I remember I could taste the combination of honey and chili in my head and was eager to try it.
In a nutshell, it’s a spicy-sweet condiment made with honey and chili peppers or chili flakes and sometimes a little vinegar for added acidity. It's versatile with a unique flavour profile and has become a trending ingredient amongst chefs, food bloggers and home cooks. It's one of those foods that keeps popping up on social media.
It tastes like honey but with a mellow, gentle heat lingering in your mouth. Used in cooking or as a condiment, it adds a perfect balance of heat and sweetness and can be added to a wide range of dishes from pizza to fried chicken and cocktails.
Ways to use hot honey
Here are some ideas for what to put honey on or how to use it. If the honey is quite thick, warm up a little in a microwave or place the jar in a bowl of hot water so it's more runny and easier to scoop and drizzle.
Chicken - You can use it as a glaze on chicken wings, drizzle over crispy chicken tenders or fried chicken, or brush over grilled or pan-fried chicken. It's nice over roast chicken pieces.
Salmon - Grilled salmon with a drizzle of hot honey is delicious, make sure to sprinkle with plenty of sea salt to get that lovey salty and sweet flavour.
Pork - Brush over grilled or baked pork chops or drizzle over pulled pork.
Cheese - Make bruschetta with goat cheese or ricotta and drizzle over with hot honey (add some sliced figs or grilled peach for a sweet variation or something like prosciutto or thinly sliced fennel salami for a salty/sweet ensemble). Drizzle over whipped feta dip or baked brie.
Roasted or air-fried vegetables - think roasted sweet potatoes, fried Brussels sprouts, crispy cauliflower, charred carrots or fennel, all of these would be fantastic with a little hot honey drizzle or glaze.
Pizza - A drizzle of hot honey over pizza with salty ingredients like four cheeses, spicy chorizo or Italian sausage or prosciutto would add a delicious touch of sweetness and heat. Try this hot honey, goat cheese and pepperoni pizza.
Vinaigrette - Any dressing that calls for honey or sweetener could be made with hot honey for an extra kick.
Grilled halloumi - Salty, chewy and soft halloumi is another fabulous pairing for hot honey.
Meatballs and meatloaf - hot honey would be a tasty glaze for cocktail meatballs, burger patties or on top of meatloaf.
Crispy fried shrimp - A drizzle of hot honey over shrimp or prawns is another yummy idea.
Spread over buttered cornbread, cheesy scones, and fresh sourdough.
A peanut butter sandwich with honey is a game-changer!
Make a spicy Margarita or try it in a whisky sour.
Hot honey chicken tenders
Inspired by the original hot honey chicken sandwich I saw a while ago, I decided to use my freshly made hot honey on crispy chicken tenders.
Oven-baked or air-fried crumbed chicken tenders are something I make quite regularly. My toddler loves them as does everyone else in my family and I can change up the sauces and condiments to create a dish inspired by different cuisines.
For this recipe, I marinated the chicken pieces in a flavoured egg wash and coated them in breadcrumbs seasoned with spices and mixed with Parmesan cheese. Having the cheese adds umami and saltiness to the crumb mixture and it melts to crispy, adding to the crunch of the coating.
A generous drizzling of hot honey gives you that perfect sweet and savoury dish with just a touch of heat.
More on chicken tenders
Chicken tenders, also known as chicken fingers or chicken strips, are a type of boneless chicken meat that is cut into long, thin strips. They are typically made from the chicken tenderloin, a strip of meat loosely attached to the underside. But, you can also cut the whole chicken breast into tenders.
Chicken tenders are often breaded or battered before being fried or baked but you can also grill them or add to stir-fries, curries, stews and soup. See some ideas below!
You will typically need 2 to 3 tenders per serving, depending on their size.
Grilled chicken tenders with marjoram & tomato marinade
Coconut yoghurt chicken
Spicy paprika and lime chicken tenders
Chicken tenders & quinoa salad with honey harissa
By the way, if you’re new to my recipes and my blog, make sure to check out the full archive here.