Irresistible Honey BBQ Chicken Strips: Your Ultimate Guide to Sweet & Savory Perfection

Sticky, sweet, and bursting with flavor, these **Honey BBQ Chicken Strips** are a culinary delight perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re planning a cozy family dinner or gearing up for an exciting game day, these tender, perfectly seasoned chicken strips are designed to be utterly irresistible. Imagine sinking your teeth into succulent chicken, marinated to perfection, coated in a crispy exterior, and then generously glazed with a rich, tangy, and sweet honey-barbecue sauce. It’s a combination that promises to tantalize your taste buds and leave everyone craving more.

For parents, the struggle to find dishes that both kids and adults adore is real. But here’s a secret: present these Honey BBQ Chicken Strips as “GIANT nuggets,” and watch the magic unfold! They’re an instant hit, transforming mealtime into a delightful experience. Beyond appealing to picky eaters, these chicken strips elevate any meal, making even a mundane weeknight feel special. The magic truly happens when that luscious, sticky-sweet honey-BBQ glaze is brushed over the crispy chicken – at that point, resistance is utterly futile.

The Secret to Unforgettable Tenderness: Buttermilk Marinade

Our journey to perfectly tender chicken begins with a crucial first step: marinating the chicken in buttermilk. While you can start with pre-cut chicken tenders, boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into uniform strips work just as beautifully. The buttermilk marinade isn’t just a suggestion; it’s essential for achieving that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that sets these chicken strips apart. The lactic acid in buttermilk gently breaks down the chicken fibers, resulting in incredibly moist and supple meat that’s impossible to resist. This step imbues the chicken with a subtle tanginess that complements the forthcoming sweet and savory glaze.

Achieving the Ultimate Crispy Coating

What good is a delicious glaze without a sturdy, crispy foundation? To ensure our honey-BBQ glaze adheres perfectly and maintains its glorious texture, these chicken strips undergo a double-dipping process: flour, then buttermilk, then back into the flour. This technique creates an extra thick and remarkably crispy coating. This robust crust is absolutely necessary to withstand the rich, wet, ooey-gooey goodness of the glaze, ensuring every bite delivers a satisfying crunch followed by juicy, tender chicken. For those who love a bit of heat, consider adding a dash of your favorite hot sauce or sriracha directly into the honey-BBQ glaze; it provides an exciting kick that perfectly balances the sweetness.

Frying and Finishing with Flavor

Once coated, the chicken strips are quickly fried until golden brown. This initial fry step is fast, as we’re not cooking the chicken all the way through at this stage. The goal is to develop that beautiful golden color and a preliminary crispness. After frying, allow the strips to drain on a wire rack or paper towels to remove any excess oil, ensuring a cleaner, crispier final product. Then comes the moment of transformation: generously brushing or dipping the fried chicken in the luscious honey barbecue glaze. This ensures every nook and cranny is coated in the sticky, sweet sauce.

Finally, these glazed masterpieces are popped into the oven. The baking stage is crucial for two reasons: it cooks the chicken through to juicy perfection and allows the honey-BBQ glaze to truly caramelize and adhere to the crispy coating, creating an incredible depth of flavor and that signature sticky texture. When they emerge from the oven, you’re left with something truly awesome: sticky, sweet perfection that’s visually stunning and incredibly delicious.

Why These Honey BBQ Chicken Strips Are a Must-Try

These Honey BBQ Chicken Strips aren’t just a meal; they’re an experience. The combination of the tender, juicy chicken, the impossibly crispy coating, and the gloriously sweet and tangy honey-BBQ glaze creates a symphony of textures and flavors. Each bite is a harmonious blend of savory and sweet, with a hint of tang that keeps you coming back for more. They are incredibly versatile, serving as a fantastic main course, a crowd-pleasing appetizer, or the star of any party platter. You’ll be tempted to eat the entire batch yourself, and honestly, we wouldn’t blame you!

Tips for Success

**Marinade Time is Key:** Don’t skimp on the buttermilk marinade time. At least 2 hours is good, but overnight (8-12 hours) in the refrigerator will yield even more tender and flavorful results.
**Uniform Strips:** Cut your chicken into similarly sized strips to ensure even cooking.
**Oil Temperature:** Maintaining a consistent oil temperature (350-360°F or 175-180°C) is crucial for a perfectly crispy crust without overcooking the exterior before the oven finish. A thermometer is highly recommended.
**Don’t Crowd the Pan:** Fry the chicken in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature and to ensure each strip gets adequately crispy.
**Glaze it Right:** While brushing works, dipping the fried strips into the warm glaze ensures maximum coverage and stickiness.
**Adjust the Heat:** As mentioned, feel free to personalize your glaze with hot sauce or sriracha for a spicy kick. Adjust to your preference.
**Serving Suggestions:** These strips are fantastic on their own, but also pair wonderfully with classic sides like coleslaw, french fries, macaroni and cheese, or a simple green salad. For game day, serve them with extra dipping sauce, celery, and carrot sticks.

More Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try

If you loved these Honey BBQ Chicken Strips, you’re in for a treat with these other fantastic chicken recipes:

Hearty Chicken and Noodles Recipe
Aromatic Garlic Herb Roast Chicken
The Ultimate Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Comforting Chicken Enchilada Soup
Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

How To Make Honey Barbecue Chicken Strips

chicken strips with honey barbecue sauce in red plastic basket with carrots and celery sticks.

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5 from 7 votes

Honey BBQ Chicken Strips

These sticky, sweet Honey BBQ Chicken Strips are absolutely perfect for any dinner or game day gathering! Marinated in buttermilk and seasoned to perfection, these flavorful chicken strips are truly hard to resist.

Course:
Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine:
American

Keyword:
honey bbq chicken strips

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
35 minutes

Total Time:
50 minutes

Servings:
8 servings

Calories:
415kcal

Author:
Trish – Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips)
1 tsp salt (for seasoning chicken)
1 tsp pepper (for seasoning chicken)
Vegetable oil for frying (enough to fill a pan about 1 inch deep)
4 cups buttermilk (divided)
1 tbsp hot sauce (for buttermilk mixture)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt (for flour mixture)
1 tsp pepper (for flour mixture)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional, for glaze)

Instructions

Season the chicken strips generously with salt and pepper. Place them in a bowl with 2 cups of buttermilk and marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. For best results, marinate overnight.
In a large frying pan, add vegetable oil to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat the oil to 350-360°F (175-180°C).
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, the remaining 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir well to ensure all spices are evenly distributed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of buttermilk and the hot sauce. Set aside.
In a third shallow bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar (if using). Stir until well blended and set aside.
Remove the marinated chicken strips from the buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off.
For the double-dip coating: First, dredge a chicken strip in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture. Finally, dip it back into the flour mixture, ensuring it’s fully coated, and shake off excess flour. Repeat this process for all chicken strips.
Carefully place the coated chicken strips into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches, turning them over once they achieve a beautiful golden-brown color. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage, as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Once fried, transfer the chicken strips to a wire rack set over paper towels or directly onto paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat until all chicken has been fried.
Gently dip each fried chicken strip into the prepared barbecue sauce and honey mixture, or use a brush to coat them generously. Allow any excess glaze to drip off.
Arrange the glazed chicken strips in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and the glaze is wonderfully caramelized. Baking time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken strips.
Chef’s Note: If you prefer a spicier kick, feel free to add an extra tablespoon of hot sauce or sriracha to your honey-BBQ glaze mixture before coating the chicken.

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