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Honey BBQ Chicken Bites are tangy, sweet, crunchy and kid approved. These crispy nuggets are perfect for an easy dinner or appetizer.
Would you believe that it actually took me three tries to get this recipe right? And that’s not because it’s difficult — It’s just that the first two attempts didn’t turn out exactly how I wanted them to.
Have you ever had that happen?
Our local market was having an awesome sale on chicken tenders, so I stocked up. I’ve been making tons of one-pot chicken dinners lately, and I wanted to try something new. I made a big batch of sticky barbecue chicken tenders, but they just weren’t as crispy as I wanted. So, I tried again, and they were good, but the crispiness still wasn’t quite right. I tried one more time, but this time, I cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
And, friends, the the third time was definitely the charm!
I remembered that last winter, I made some Buffalo chicken poppers, and they were spicy, crispy and oh, so tasty. So, I basically followed the same steps to make this batch of BBQ chicken bites turn out just as good. I think the smaller size definitely helps. I also didn’t load up on the breading, and the lighter coating was just enough.
This recipe is super easy, and my little assistant was able to do most of the prep work the last time by herself — she had the basic steps pretty much memorized by then! I cut the meat into small pieces, and then we dipped them into a mix of honey and barbecue sauce. You can use homemade, or you can use your favorite brand. The sauce I chose was slightly spicy, so it went very well with the sweetness from the honey.
Then, we rolled the coated chicken pieces into a bag full of panko bread crumbs. I love panko, and it makes an awesome breading. If you can’t find it, you can always use regular bread crumbs.
I baked the chicken for about 20 minutes, turning the nuggets over about half way through. I mixed up more sauce and honey, heated it up, and then I brushed this over the nuggets right before they were done cooking.
This step is optional, but I love the extra flavor you get from the added sauce. One of my kids hates touching anything that is even remotely sticky, so I kept the sauce on the lighter side. I also wanted to keep the panko coating nice and crispy, and this amount was just right.
But you can add as much sauce as you want!
How to Make Honey BBQ Chicken Bites
Honey BBQ Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders cut into bite-sized pieces about 3 cups
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup barbecue sauce any flavor
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- Sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Cut chicken tenders and season with sea salt and pepper
- Mix the barbecue sauce and honey together in a small bowl
- Dip the chicken into the sauce mixture, then coat with bread crumbs and place on greased baking sheet
- Bake for 10 minutes, then turn over and bake for another 10 minutes or until internal temperature is at least 160 degrees
- Mix the second batch of honey and barbecue sauce together, and heat until warm
- Brush chicken with additional honey barbecue sauce, and bake for another 5 minutes
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I served the chicken bites with a side of barbecue sauce, and my barbecue-loving daughter actually dunked hers in. Some people just can’t get enough barbecue flavor!
These honey bbq chicken bites were a big hit with the family, especially the kiddos. Now that I have the process right, I’ll be making these crispy chicken nuggets again soon. I’m also thinking that these would make awesome appetizers or fun finger food on game days!
Thanks for stopping in to see what’s cooking over here! And, if you get a chance to make these chicken nuggets, let me know how they turn out.
Have a super day!
Sharing At
Met Monday, The Scoop, Weekend Potluck, TT&J
I ended up using parmesan in place of the panko for less carbs. It was delicious!!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve got to try these. Thank you. Like your daughter I would definitely use the extra sauce for dipping.
The more sauce, the better! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Thanks for sharing at Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!