Spicy Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich Bake (Printable)

Crispy chicken tenders with hot honey butter, pickles, and melted cheese baked inside soft slider buns for an easy crowd-pleasing meal.

# 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 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 - Cooking spray or oil for baking

→ Hot Honey Butter

13 - 0.33 cup unsalted butter, melted
14 - 0.25 cup honey
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce, to taste
16 - 0.5 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease.
02 - In a bowl, combine buttermilk and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Add chicken tenders, toss to coat thoroughly, 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 firmly to ensure even coating and adherence.
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 frequently, until fully combined.
07 - Once chicken is baked, brush generously with hot honey butter coating on both sides.
08 - Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and allow it to reach the new temperature.
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, then place bun tops over the filling.
11 - Brush buns with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
12 - Bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and buns are lightly toasted.
13 - Cool slightly, then pull apart and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers that crispy-chicken-sandwich satisfaction without needing a deep fryer or an hour of frying.
  • Everyone assembles their own slider from the bake, which somehow makes people feel like they're part of the magic.
  • The hot honey butter pulls double duty—it seasons the chicken and makes the whole dish glisten when it comes out of the oven.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step thinking the chicken will be fine without it—that buttermilk does actual chemical work making the meat tender, and it shows in every bite.
  • If you brush the hot honey butter on the baked chicken before assembling, it won't slide off or get reabsorbed during the final bake like it does when you add it after assembly.
03 -
  • Keep a separate small bowl of hot honey butter on the side for dipping or drizzling after people pull their sliders apart—it gives them control over their own destiny.
  • If your buns are on the thinner side, consider assembling them in the baking dish right before the final bake so they don't get soggy from the cheese and pickles sitting too long.
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