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These honey chipotle chicken crispers are crispy chicken tenders tossed in a honey chipotle sauce. The heat is built in layers, so you can take it up or down without ever touching the crunch. I made this four times before I was happy with it. My kids have informed me that it is never leaving the rotation.

A plate of grilled glazed chicken breasts garnished with chopped parsley, placed on parchment paper. Sliced limes, cherry tomatoes, and a bowl of dark sauce with a honey dipper are nearby on a vibrant blue surface.

I knew these honey chipotle chicken tenders were a keeper the week after I photographed them. I was working on our menu and mentioned that I wouldn’t need to make it that week. My daughter gave me a look I can only describe as the angry eye. We had it that Wednesday. We have had it most Wednesdays since.

If the Chili's honey chipotle chicken crispers put this combination on your radar, you already know what this recipe is about. Crispy fried chicken tenders. A glossy sauce that is sweet, smoky, and a little hot. This is a from-scratch take, only better. And a little different, in the best possible way.

Raw chicken tenders on a white plate surrounded by small bowls of oil, mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in sauce, soy sauce, honey, and a dish of seasoning, all on a marble countertop.

What Makes These Crispers Work

The flavor starts in the marinade.

The base of the marinade is mayonnaise, just like my super-popular Blackstone Chicken.

If that sounds odd to you, stay with me. Mayo is an emulsion of oil and egg. It clings to the chicken and also acts as the glue for the breading. No egg dip needed.

The breading is flour cut with cornstarch. This makes the chicken crispier and holds up to the sauce better.

That cornstarch trick works on any fried chicken, by the way. It is the same principle behind my crispy pan-fried chicken breast.

The heat comes in layers. Chipotles in the marinade, a little cayenne in the breading, and chipotle plus adobo in the sauce.

A marble countertop with bowls containing flour, cornstarch, spices, chipotle peppers, a glass of oil, a glass of brown liquid, a lime, and a garlic clove arranged neatly.

Ingredient Notes

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a tangy tomato sauce. You can usually find them in the ethnic foods section of your grocery store. One small can covers the marinade and the sauce with peppers to spare. Freeze the extras flat in a zip-top bag for the next time that you need them.

Adjusting the Spice

This recipe has fairly mild heat as written, but the amount of spice is totally up to you.

For milder crispers, skip the cayenne in the breading. You should also stick with one chipotle in the sauce.

For more heat, use 2 or 3 chipotles in the sauce. I typically use three and add an extra spoonful of adobo sauce because my kids are older and like the heat.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this with air fryer curly fries and jalapeño coleslaw. If you are craving comfort food, crockpot mac and cheese is the perfect side.

How to Make Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers

A top-down view of a blender cup containing mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and a dark liquid, placed on a gray marble countertop. — Place the marinade ingredients in a blender.

Top view of a blender cup containing a small amount of orange-colored sauce or dressing, with some residue coating the sides. The blender is placed on a light gray marble countertop. — Process until smooth.

A resealable plastic bag filled with a thick, orange-yellow marinade sits on a gray marble surface. A white label is attached to the bag for writing the date and contents. — Pour over the chicken tenders. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

A pile of white flour sits in a clear glass bowl next to a small pile of brown sugar and spices. — Place the dredge ingredients in a shallow dish.

A marinated chicken breast is placed on a bed of flour in a glass mixing bowl, ready to be coated before cooking. — Dredge the chicken tenders.

A piece of food, possibly chicken, coated in a sticky brown marinade, sits in a bowl of white flour, ready to be breaded. — Turn to coat. Sometimes I coat all the pieces and then repeat the process for a thicker coating.

Eight uncooked chicken tenders coated in flour sit on a wire rack over a baking sheet, ready to be cooked. — Move to a wire rack and let sit for 10 minutes.

A black cooking pot contains a dark liquid with several chunks of what appears to be burnt and partially cooked food, sitting on a gray countertop. — Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small pan.

A dark, glossy sauce with chili flakes, garlic, and other seasonings simmers in a dark pot. — Simmer and then add the butter.

Hot oil in a frying pan with food submerged and bubbling, indicating deep frying in progress. — Pan fry, deep fry or air fry. You'll need to cook in batches.

Two pieces of golden brown, crispy fried chicken resting on a metal cooling rack over a baking sheet. — Let rest on a wire rack.

A cooked chicken breast is held with metal tongs over a pan filled with a dark, bubbling sauce. The chicken is coated in the sauce and appears tender and seasoned. — Coat with the sauce just before serving.

A bowl lined with parchment paper holds crispy glazed chicken tenders, garnished with herbs and lime wedges. Around it are lime slices, cherry tomatoes on the vine, a bowl of dark dipping sauce, and a honey dipper.

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A plate lined with parchment paper holds several pieces of glazed fried chicken garnished with chopped parsley. Lime slices and a honey dipper are in the background.

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Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Resting and Marinating Time1 10

Total Time1 38

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

Chicken

¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons avocado oil
3 chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders

Breading

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Sauce

½ cup honey
1 chipotle chili pepper 2-3 for more heat, finely chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter

For Cooking

Oil for cooking

Instructions

In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, avocado oil, chipotle chili peppers, honey, soy sauce, and salt. Process until smooth.
Place the chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 or up to 4 hours.
In a pie plate or other shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture. Transfer to a wire rack set on a baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes.
Make the sauce by combining the honey, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and garlic in a small saucepan. Simmer until warm. Stir in the butter and cook until it melts.

Pan Fry

Heat ¼ inch of oil to 325°F to 350°F (medium to medium-high heat). Cook in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it rests. Transfer to a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet to rest while you continue cooking the remaining batches.

Deep Fry

Heat the oil to 350°F. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes total, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. Transfer to a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Air Fry

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray both sides of the chicken with oil. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip and re-spray. Cook for another 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

All Methods

Toss or brush the tenders with the chipotle lime sauce before serving.

Notes

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover crispers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Any extra sauce should be kept in a separate container. To reheat, use the air fryer or a 400°F oven for 5 to 6 minutes. The microwave will get them hot, but you will lose all crunch. Brush with rewarmed sauce after reheating, not before.

Nutrition

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