Sweet and spicy sticky chicken tenders are coated in an addictive sauce featuring a blend of BBQ sauce, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Using store-bought chicken tenders, these spicy chicken tenders are super easy-to-make, with just 5 ingredients, in 20 minutes!
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Why I Love Saucy Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders take me right back to my childhood – every time we went out, it was me and a plate of tenders! I still get them at restaurants from time to time when the mood hits me. My taste for them has evolved over the years. Now, I love them covered in a good sauce. Our kids LOVE crispy chicken tenders. It’s one of their favorite requests – tenders and mac and cheese! Here’s why I’m always happy to oblige them with these sweet, spicy and sticky chicken strips:
- So easy: These tenders are SO easy to make! You start with store bought chicken tenders and coat them in a deliciously sweet and spicy sauce – with just a hint of spice!
- Budget friendly: You only need 5 ingredients (not counting the splash of water) to whip up this inexpensive recipe.
- Quick: A kid-friendly dinner on the table in just 20 minutes? Yes, please!
- Game day: Nothing quite says game day like a heaping pile of sweet and spicy chicken tenders.
Key Ingredients
Frozen chicken strips and a handful of basic staples – everything here is super simple. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Chicken Tenders: Using store bought frozen tenders is a great way to save time and energy! You can use any kind of chicken tender you would like, but the crispy version has a perfect crust to allow a lot of the sauce to stick to the outside of the tender!
- BBQ Sauce: Sweet Baby Ray’s is always my go-to, but you can really use any kind you want.
- Hot Sauce: Use your favorite! I usually grab Frank’s Red hot sauce.
- Brown Sugar: You can add more or less to adjust the amount of sweetness.
How to Make this Sticky Chicken Recipe
Since we’re using frozen chicken strips, this recipe really couldn’t be any easier. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Cook the chicken: Simply cook the chicken tenders according to package instructions.
- Make the sauce: In a pot over medium-high heat, combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, bbq sauce, corn syrup and water. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
- Toss the chicken: Evenly coat the chicken strips with the sauce and serve right away.
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Use an air fryer: You can use the air fryer instead of the oven to prepare the chicken tenders. It makes the whole process faster.
- Adjust the heat: You can always make things spicier by adding Sriracha, cayenne powder or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Don’t make them ahead of time: Once the tenders are cooked and coated in sauce, they’re best enjoyed right away. If they sit for too long they’ll get soggy.
- You CAN make the sauce ahead of time: You can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it if you need to. Then when your tenders are hot and ready, nuke the sauce until it’s hot, give it a quick whisk and toss in the hot chicken tenders!
What to Serve with Sweet and Spicy Sticky Chicken Tenders
- Dinner – My family eats these just as they are with ranch dressing for dipping and some dill pickles on the side. They could also be eaten on slider rolls for a fun sandwich. Blue cheese dressing is also a delicious sauce to dip these sticky chicken tenders in.
- Appetizer – These tenders also make a great easy appetizer. We love to host game night at our house, and these are a hit with our guests. There are never any left over!
- Snack size – You can also use popcorn chicken in place of chicken tenders to make a quick bite size appetizer or snack!
Sweet and Spicy Sticky Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 25 oz package frozen Crispy Chicken Strips
- ⅓ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
Optional dips:
- ranch dressing
- blue cheese dressing
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Instructions
- OVEN: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the chicken strips on an ungreased cookie sheet for 18-20 minutes, flipping half way through baking.
- AIR FRYER: Preheat air fryer to 385°F. Cook chicken strips in a single layer in air fryer and for 11-12 minutes, flipping half way through cooking.
- While the chicken strips are cooking, make the sauce. In a medium sauce pot over meidum-high heat, combine the hot sauce, brown sugar, bbq sauce, corn syrup and water.
- Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.
- Dip the cooked chicken strips in the sauce to completely coat on all sides. Serve hot with dipping sauce if desired!
Nutrition
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I made these tonight for dinner and they were a huge hit! Very yummy! Thanks so much!
Did you use the oven and air fryer or just one of them and not the other?
I loved it! The sauce was amazing and easy to make :).
Family LOVED this! Next time, I’ll use less hot sauce (a bit too spicy for us and we used sour cream as a dip to tame the heat) but overall, fast, good and inexpensive!
That was really good sauce! My husband said that’s a keeper! So will be making it again with different tenders profile. Thank you.
No corn syrup? What else can i use?
Honey!
AMAZING!! Such a quick and delicious dinner. This is something I will be adding to my list and passing the recipe to everyone.
I made this for my husband and myself and we couldn’t stop eating them!!! Amazing sauce. A+
Made these tonight!!!! I put them on a brioche bun with some garlic cheese I got from our local meat market melted on top with ranch, shredded lettuce, and pickles! It was a HIT!
This was really good and makes a lot, I will be keeping this recipe! Thank you Jessica!
This recipe was a 4 star. My family ❤️ it ..
These are our family greatest and quickest meal we love these sticky tenders. I made them with some mashed potatoes and the leftover sauce was used to drizzle over the potatoes. Very quick meal if u are looking to whip something up fast. Very easy to make
I cut the brown sugar in half and it was still plenty sweet and delicious. I subbed honey for corn syrup as well.
This was easy and yummy!! It reminded me of the honey chipotle chicken tenders from chili’s. I cut the brown sugar in half and subbed honey for corn syrup (which is not available in Egypt where we live) and it was still great and plenty sweet.