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Hot Honey Chicken Tenders with Baked Mac and Cheese

The ultimate comfort food combo featuring incredibly crispy fried chicken tenders coated in a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze, served alongside rich, creamy, homemade baked macaroni and cheese.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 980
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Baked Mac and Cheese
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk warmed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 2 cups Gruyere or Colby Jack cheese freshly grated
Crispy Chicken Tenders
  • 1.5 pounds chicken tenderloins
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Hot Honey Glaze
  • 0.5 cup pure honey
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce like Frank's RedHot
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.5 tsp apple cider vinegar

Equipment

  • Large Saucepan
  • 9x13 Baking Dish
  • Dutch oven or deep skillet
  • Mixing bowls

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Boil pasta 1 minute shy of al dente; drain.
  2. Make a roux by melting butter and whisking in flour for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
  3. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
  4. Remove from heat. Stir in spices, then fold in 3 cups of cheddar and 1 cup of Gruyere until melted.
  5. Mix cheese sauce with pasta. Layer in a baking dish with remaining cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes.
  6. Marinate chicken tenders in buttermilk and 1 tbsp hot sauce for at least 15 minutes.
  7. Whisk flour and spices together. Drizzle in 2 tbsp of buttermilk and mix to create craggy bits.
  8. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture, pressing firmly. Let rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  9. Fry chicken in 350°F (175°C) oil for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Drain.
  10. Simmer honey, hot sauce, and pepper flakes. Stir in butter and vinegar.
  11. Brush hot honey glaze heavily over fried chicken and serve alongside the baked mac and cheese.

Notes

Always grate your own cheese from a block for the smoothest mac and cheese sauce.