Hot Honey Chicken Tenders with Creamy Pickle Ranch Dip

Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe

I don’t break out the frying oil often, but when I do, it’s gotta be something spectacular—and these Hot Honey Chicken Tenders with Pickle Ranch totally deliver. We’re talking crispy, juicy, golden-brown tenders coated in a sticky hot honey glaze that’s sweet, spicy, and downright addictive.

And oh, the Pickle Ranch! Creamy, tangy, and loaded with dill-pickle goodness, it’s the ultimate dipping sauce you didn’t know you needed. This isn’t just dinner; it’s a crispy, crunchy, drippy, delicious event. Trust me, these tendies are worth every second of frying.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe 🖤

• Flavor Packed: The tenders are juicy, crunchy, and smothered in a hot honey glaze that balances fiery heat with sticky sweetness.
• Dreamy Dip: The pickle ranch is cool, creamy, and a dill-icious match to the tenders’ spice.
• Worth the Effort: Frying may take a little extra work, but trust us—this dish is totally worth it.

Key Ingredients

• Chicken: You can use fresh chicken tenderloins, thaw frozen tenders, or cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips.
• Dry Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, chili powder, smoked paprika—spice it up!
• Fresh Herbs & Aromatics: Dill, chives, and garlic bring bold, fresh flavors. You can substitute for dried, but fresh really kicks up the flavor.
• Buttermilk:  You can use real or cultured (manufactured version) buttermilk. No buttermilk? No worries! Just mix 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tbsp of white or apple cider vinegar. Stir, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken, and voilà—homemade buttermilk substitute ready to go!
• Corn Starch & Flour: these are your crispy coating MVPs.
• Hot Sauce & Honey: Combine tangy heat and sweetness for a finger-licking glaze. I used both Franks Buffalo Hot Sauce and Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce, but feel free to use your favorite hot sauce—any kind will do the trick!
• Neutral Oil: Pick something with a high smoke point like vegetable or sunflower oil so it can handle the heat without smoking up the kitchen!
• Dill Pickles: trust me on this—go for the good stuff. Homemade, fresh, or gourmet dill pickles like Grillo’s really take the flavor of that Pickle Ranch to the next level. You’ll taste the difference, I promise!
• Condiments: Real Mayonnaise and Sour Cream are the creamy dream team behind your irresistibly velvety dip.

Chef Secrets

• Marinade Magic: For tender, flavor-packed chicken, marinate in buttermilk for at least 12 hours.
• Plan Ahead: Whip up that pickle ranch up to 3 days ahead—it gets even tastier as the flavors meld.
• Avoid The Goop: Use one hand for dipping in wet ingredients and the other for dry to avoid that sticky, goopy mess.
• Heat Control: You want to get the oil to about 350F. When you drop in the chicken it will drop to about 320F, and that’s fine. Don’t overcrowd; it will cool down the oil and cause soggy breading. If it becomes too hot simply pour in some oil to lower the temperature.
• If the chicken’s afloat, it’s ready to coat: Tenders will start to float when it’s ready& should have an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. Use an instant-read thermometer for best results!