Spicy Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich (Printable Version)

Crispy chicken tenders in hot honey butter with pickles and cheese, baked as pull-apart sliders for easy serving.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 12 chicken tenders, approximately 1.5 pounds
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
05 - 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
12 - Cooking spray or 3 tablespoons neutral oil for baking

→ For the Hot Honey Butter

13 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
14 - 0.25 cup honey
15 - 1.5 tablespoons hot sauce
16 - 0.5 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
17 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ For Assembly

18 - 12 slider buns or Hawaiian rolls
19 - 8 slices cheddar or pepper jack cheese
20 - 0.5 cup sliced dill pickles
21 - 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing buns
22 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional for topping

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine buttermilk and egg. Add chicken tenders and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
03 - In a shallow dish, mix together panko breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Remove each chicken tender from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drain, then coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange coated tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Spray the tops of chicken tenders with cooking spray or drizzle with oil. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
06 - While chicken bakes, whisk together melted butter, honey, hot sauce, chili flakes, and salt in a small bowl until well combined.
07 - Once baked, transfer hot chicken tenders to the honey butter sauce and toss until fully coated.
08 - Lower oven temperature to 350°F. Slice slider buns horizontally while keeping the bottoms connected, then place bun bottoms in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
09 - Layer cheese slices over bun bottoms, then arrange sauced chicken tenders, followed by sliced dill pickles. Cover with bun tops.
10 - Brush the tops of buns with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
11 - Bake uncovered for 7 to 10 minutes until cheese has melted and buns are lightly toasted.
12 - Remove from oven and serve while warm. Pull apart sliders and enjoy immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • All the crispy, spicy satisfaction of a fried chicken sandwich without standing over a fryer or flipping one at a time.
  • The hot honey butter soaks into every crevice, giving you sweet heat in every single bite.
  • You can prep the whole tray ahead and just pop it in the oven when people show up—no last minute panic.
  • Pull-apart sliders mean everyone gets a perfectly cheesy, saucy sandwich without any assembly required.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooking spray or oil on the breaded chicken—it's what gives you that crispy, golden crust without a fryer.
  • Toss the chicken in the honey butter while it's still piping hot so the sauce clings and soaks in instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Let the buttermilk marinade sit for at least ten minutes, or up to an hour if you have time—it makes a real difference in tenderness.
  • If your buns are browning too fast in the final bake, tent them loosely with foil until the cheese melts.
03 -
  • Press the breadcrumb coating firmly onto each tender so it doesn't fall off during baking—gentle hands here make all the difference.
  • Use a pastry brush to coat the bun tops with butter evenly, and don't be shy—that buttery finish is what makes them golden and irresistible.
  • If you want extra heat, add a few dashes of hot sauce directly onto the assembled sliders before the final bake.
  • Let the tray sit for two minutes after baking so the cheese sets just enough to pull apart cleanly without everything sliding off.
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