Succulent, juicy chicken tenders dipped in the honey sauce are popular with kids and adults, and make the perfect finger food.
No mess, no fuss, with an irresistible golden crumb. Below chef Hafeeza Bibi Khan shares one of her favourite recipes you should try at home – easy home-made honey chicken tenders.
Growing up in a family of talented home cooks, Khan always found herself surrounded by good food. Naturally, she developed an interest in cooking as she was exposed to different types of food and cooking techniques from a young age.
“My grandmother was old school in her way of cooking, my mother had a slightly different flavour palate and found ways to introduce us to other cuisines, and my elder sister had taken the methods of my mother and grandmother and created recipes that had the best of both worlds in them. She has also inspired me the most as she was always bringing something new and exciting to the table with her knowledge and passion for the culinary arts,” said Khan.
The 21-year-old chef grew up in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and later moved to uMhlanga just a short distance from the Capsicum Culinary Studio campus, where she enrolled in 2021 to pursue a three-year pro-chef diploma.
Here’s her easy home-made honey chicken tenders recipe.
Ingredients
2 skinless, deboned chicken breasts
1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced
250g green beans, chopped
50g sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Dry mix
1 cup flour
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Wet-mix
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup of milk + 1 tbs vinegar)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
Honey teriyaki sauce
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 tbs honey
1 tbs cornstarch, mixed with a little cold water
1 tbs vinegar
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
Method
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and set them aside. In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients and add the chopped chicken, making sure each piece is fully coated. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in a large ziplock bag and shake.
Transfer the chicken to the ziplock bag, shaking off any excess batter before placing it in the bag. Seal the bag and shake well so each piece is coated. Remove the chicken from the bag and transfer to a plate. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan and once hot enough, add the chicken and fry in batches until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the oil and drain it on a wire rack.
For the honey teriyaki sauce: Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer. Once simmering, mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the sauce to thicken. When it coats the back of a spoon, transfer it to a large bowl.
For the veggies: Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the sliced yellow bell pepper and chopped green beans. Sauté until golden and soft.
To bring the dish together, toss the chicken in the honey teriyaki sauce and add the veggies and toasted sesame seeds.
Serve with steamed or fried rice or noodles.