Spicy Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich (Printable)

Crispy baked chicken tenders with hot honey butter, pickles, and melted cheese nestled inside soft slider buns for an easy game day spread.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Tenders

01 - 12 chicken tenders, approximately 1.5 pounds
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 - Cooking spray or oil for baking

→ Hot Honey Butter

13 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1/4 cup honey
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce, to taste
16 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

→ Assembly

17 - 12 slider buns
18 - 1 cup sliced dill pickles
19 - 6 slices sharp cheddar cheese, halved
20 - 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing buns
21 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a bowl, combine buttermilk and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Add chicken tenders, toss to coat evenly, and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight for optimal flavor development.
03 - In a shallow dish, mix flour, panko, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until well combined.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each tender in the flour-panko mixture, pressing gently to ensure even coating adheres.
05 - Arrange breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking oil. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
06 - In a small saucepan, combine melted butter, honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly combined.
07 - Once chicken is baked, brush generously with hot honey butter on both sides.
08 - Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
09 - Slice slider buns horizontally, keeping bottoms and tops connected if possible. Place bottom halves in a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
10 - Layer with half the cheese, followed by pickles, then the hot honey butter chicken tenders. Drizzle with additional hot honey butter. Top with remaining cheese and place bun tops over the filling.
11 - Brush bun tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
12 - Bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bun tops are lightly toasted.
13 - Cool slightly, then pull apart and serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day frying chicken, but it's actually a baked dish that comes together in less than an hour.
  • The whole thing bakes together in one pan, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor absorption where all the buttery, spicy goodness seeps into the buns.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand over a stove, making it perfect for game days, potlucks, or when you want to actually enjoy your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step with buttermilk; I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush and ended up with chicken that was technically cooked but didn't have that tender, juicy quality that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • The second bake at lower temperature is essential because it melts the cheese and toasts the buns without drying out the chicken; rushing this or baking at too high a temperature will turn your sliders dry and sad.
03 -
  • Don't be stingy with the hot honey butter when coating the chicken tenders—that glossy, sticky coating is what makes these sliders different from regular chicken sandwiches, and it also prevents them from drying out during the second bake.
  • If your buns start browning too fast during the final bake, loosely tent the baking dish with foil for the last few minutes so the cheese and chicken warm through without the buns getting charred.
Go Back