Spicy Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich Bake (Printable)

Crispy chicken tenders with hot honey butter, layered with pickles and cheese in soft slider buns for easy sharing.

# What You 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 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 evenly, and marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight for maximum 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 coating adheres properly.
05 - Arrange breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray with cooking oil. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through completely.
06 - While chicken bakes, combine melted butter, honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until all ingredients are 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 bottom bun halves 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 melted and bun tops are lightly toasted.
13 - Cool slightly, then pull apart and serve warm.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It tastes like the best fried chicken sandwich you've ever had, but without the mess or the oil splatter all over your kitchen.
  • You can prep most of it earlier in the day, then just slide it in the oven right when people are getting hungry.
  • Twelve people served, but it feels special, not like you made some cafeteria-style casserole.
  • That hot honey butter is absolutely addictive—people will eat more of these than you expected to make.
02 -
  • Don't skip the flipping step when baking the chicken—one side will cook faster than the other, and flipping halfway keeps them even and crispy all over.
  • That hot honey butter can break if it gets too hot, so keep your saucepan on low heat and stir it gently; rushed heat means separated greasy mess instead of silky sauce.
  • If your buns are very thick or your dish is very full, cover it loosely with foil for the first 5 minutes of baking so the insides warm through without the tops burning.
03 -
  • Press your breaded chicken into the flour mixture rather than just coating it—that extra pressure creates a thicker, crunchier crust that actually stays crispy even after the honey butter is applied.
  • If you're worried about the buns getting soggy, skip the honey butter on the bottom bun and only use it on the chicken and top bun instead.
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