Apple And Honey-Glazed Chicken Tenders Recipe

Chicken tenders can be a convenient way to make dinner in a hurry, at least if you remember to defrost them before you leave for work. (If not, a cold water soak is the quickest, easiest method for defrosting chicken.) This chicken tender recipe is no exception since it takes just half an hour from start to finish, including cooking time. What's really special about it, though, is the tasty glaze. As recipe developer Patterson Watkins tells us, she's all about balance. "When I gotta develop a savory recipe with a glaze component, I want there to be a salty element to balance the sweet. That's what makes the glaze in this recipe so fun. The sweet and the savory."

While the glaze takes just minutes to make, it has a surprisingly complex flavor. "You have these sweeter pops from the apple juice concentrate and honey," says Watkins, "balanced with the savory Dijon mustard and soy sauce. The addition of vinegar not only highlights the apple but harmonizes with those mentioned ingredients with zippy acidity." This well-balanced glaze, which packs in those fruity, peppery, and umami-rich flavors, is perfect for a quick-cooking protein like chicken tenders, but it's also versatile enough to pair well with other meats, beans, or tofu.

For the tenders themselves, you'll need flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken tenders, and butter. The glaze is made from garlic cloves, honey, apple cider vinegar, apple juice concentrate, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, while parsley, white sesame seeds, and crushed red pepper are used as a garnish.

A note on the apple juice concentrate: This ingredient is your best bet for the most apple-forward flavor, but you can use apple juice if that's all you have. The flavor might not be as intense, but don't increase the amount of liquid because this would make the glaze too watery. Watkins tells us, "You can also use a little apple juice and applesauce combo to boost the flavor. Apple butter could work, too (mixed with a little apple juice or water to get the necessary 2 tablespoons). Don't go overboard with adding additional liquids (outside the recommended amounts in this recipe). You'll end up with a broth, not a glaze."

Place the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow bowl and stir to combine.

Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels.

Dredge the chicken through the flour, shaking off any excess.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the butter is melted, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes.

Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes to brown the other side.

Once brown, remove the chicken from the skillet.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet and melt.

Once melted, add the garlic, honey, vinegar, apple juice concentrate, soy sauce, and mustard and whisk to combine.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, whisking frequently.

Return the seared chicken tenders to the skillet, coat the chicken in the glaze, and cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle the chicken with parsley, sesame seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes before serving.

If you have chicken breasts on hand instead of chicken tenders, you can absolutely cut them into the thinner slices necessary to make a substitute. If you prefer dark meat, you could do the same with chicken thighs or turkey tenderloins. In fact, an entirely different kind of protein would also work with this apple-honey glaze. Pork would be perfect, as would salmon, while shrimp or meatballs would also be tasty. For a vegetarian version, use breaded fried tofu, and for a vegan version, switch the honey for maple syrup and use vegan butter.

If you want to make the recipe gluten-free, you can, of course, use gluten-free flour or simply swap out the flour for cornstarch. Since not all soy sauce or tamari is gluten-free, be sure to check the label on your bottle.

Another way to change the recipe would be to add some extra spice to the flour mixture. This can be done by stirring in a pinch of cayenne, although chili powder or hot paprika would bring flavor without too much heat. If you want to tinker with the flavor further, you could even swap out the apple juice concentrate for a different fruit juice. Frozen orange juice, mango juice, or pineapple juice concentrate would all make flavorful substitutions, while you could go with concentrated lemonade or limeade if you prefer a sweeter glaze.

These sweet and savory chicken tenders are perfect with nothing more than a simple side of rice, although you could also combine them with stir-fried vegetables to top a rice bowl. They'd also be tasty paired with a heap of traditional mashed potatoes, although Watkins warns that mashed sweet potatoes might be a bit on the sweet side and throw off the flavor balance. The tenders would be fantastic with our loaded sweet potato, though, as its sweetness is mitigated by a topping of black beans, corn, onions, and plain yogurt (and you could even switch the sweet potato for a regular potato). If you're cutting down on carbs, you could always accompany them with mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice.

To lean into the apple flavors with your meal, try eating the apple-honey tenders with an apple goat cheese salad or an apple jicama slaw. If you're concerned with counteracting the sweetness of the honey in the glaze, you could also go with an apple-walnut salad made with peppery arugula. Watkins tells us that this would pair well with any green vegetables, such as simple steamed broccoli, creamed kale, asparagus, spinach, or roasted Brussels sprouts.