20-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

Sweet and savory flavors of honey, garlic, and soy sauce combine to create a chicken tender recipe that is completely amazing! You’ll love how easy this recipe is to make and how much your family loves it. Dinner is ready in just 20 minutes!

What’s better than a simple recipe for chicken tenders that are made in a skillet? A jazzed up recipe with chicken tenders in a skillet with a sweet honey garlic sauce, of cgourse! I’ve used this Asian inspired sauce flavor combination in a few meals now, and honestly, I think it’s good on just about everything.

Try Honey Garlic Chicken Breast and Honey Garlic Salmon too.

What Are Chicken Tenders?

Some people think that chicken tenders are just strips of chicken breast, but really they are a special cut of tender meat that comes from just underneath the breast meat. It’s the most tender part of the chicken breast, and when cooked properly, they are also the most delicious. Chicken tenderloin recipes are some of my favorites.

You can find chicken tenders in most grocery stores in the meat section, generally, they are packaged together in trays of between 10 and 20 tenders. In the UK these are called chicken mini fillets, and sometimes they are called chicken strips, or tendies.

I make a lot of chicken tenders, and I stock up on them when they are on sale. I make a variety of different recipes with chicken strips every month because we eat these at least once a week. Try my other chicken tender recipes! This Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders recipe is very popular on the blog! Also, try my Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders, and Buttermilk Chicken Tenders these are some of my other favorites.

Why you’ll love this recipe

1. Chicken Tenders. I love cooking chicken tenders not only because they are tender and delicious, but they cook more quickly than other cuts of chicken.
2. Made in One Pan. Skillet meals are the easiest, especially for busy nights. You’ll have less dishes to do because we’re cooking everything in one pan.
3. Dinner is Ready Fast. I mentioned that chicken tenders cook quickly. This recipe takes 20 minutes, start to finish.
4. Perfectly Delicious Sauce. The mixture of soy, garlic, and honey glazes these chicken tenders perfectly. It’s a well balanced blend of sweet, salty, and umami that everyone will enjoy.

Key Ingredients

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Chicken Tenders: Use fresh or frozen chicken tenders (they’re called mini chicken fillets in the UK). If using frozen, let them thaw in the fridge overnight. This recipe uses 1 ½ lbs (650g) of chicken tenders. A bit more or less is fine too.
• Flour, Salt, and Pepper: We will dredge the chicken tenders in a seasoned flour before cooking. This helps them to get brown and delicious, and the flour will thicken the sauce.
• Butter: Like any good sauce, this one starts with some creamy butter.
• Garlic: Minced fresh garlic is one of our star ingredients, and will give you the best flavor. 2 cloves is plenty, but a little more won’t hurt anything.
• Honey: I always have a jar of local honey in the cupboard to add to my tea, and it gets new life in this sweet and savory chicken recipe.
• Soy Sauce: You can use a low sodium soy if you prefer. For a gluten free option, choose Tamari instead of soy.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Either vinegar or lemon juice can be used. This bit of acidity balances out all of the other flavors in the chicken sauce.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: We have so many flavors going on in this sauce, but I promise they all work. Red pepper adds the perfect amount of heat.

How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

1. Prep Chicken: In a shallow dish combine the flour with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.
2. Cook Chicken: In a skillet (I linked the skillet that you see me using in the pictures), over medium-high heat, melt two tablespoons of butter, then work in 2 batches and cook the chicken tenders on both sides until a golden brown crust forms. The chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C. Remove onto a plate. Melt the rest of the butter, and cook the remaining chicken tenders.

1. Make Honey Garlic Sauce: Deglaze the pan by adding about ¼ cup of water, and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid to reduce. Then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes so the sauce is heated up and starts to thicken. Return the chicken to the pan and flip to coat it well with the chicken sauce.
2. Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve over jasmine rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice.

Chicken Tenders Tips

• Don’t overcook the garlic. Garlic cooks very quickly (about 30-60 seconds), and burnt garlic tastes terrible so keep an eye on it as you cook.
• Don’t overcook the chicken tenders, they cook so quickly and if they’re overcooked they can turn out stringy, dry, and tough.
• On the other hand, don’t flip the chicken over too soon. Make sure the first side is nice and browned before cooking the second side.
• To create a flavorful sauce, make sure to deglaze the pan with a splash of water as that’s where the flavor is.
• Use the right tools to make cooking easy! I love this set of measuring cups and spoons for making sauces like this, and as a bonus they are magnetic! This heat resistant silicone Spatula Spoon and these Kitchen Tongs are probably the most used tools in my kitchen. They last you ages and don’t damage your pans!

Are you looking for a different chicken dish with a creamy, delicious sauce? You might like my Creamy Garlic Chicken!

What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

As an Entree: This amazingly flavored chicken tender recipe begs for some rice or noodles to soak up the sauce! Try Jasmine Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, or Garlic Butter Pasta with a side of veggies, like sauteed spinach, steamed broccoli, or green beans.

On an Asian Chicken Salad: Let the chicken cool down, then slice and add to a bed of your favorite raw greens and veggies. Top with this Asian Salad Dressing.

As a Sandwich or Wrap: Use cooled honey garlic chicken tenders, sliced, as a delicious sandwich filling. Wrap it up with a tortilla, naan bread, or in a homemade pita.

FAQs

Enjoy making and eating this delicious chicken tenders recipe! Make sure to pin it so you can make it over and over again.