Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches

These hot honey chicken sandwiches combine crispy, golden, air-fried chicken tenders with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce, crispy bacon, and ranch dressing on soft slider buns to create an easy, delicious appetizer or fun main meal.

I love making burgers and sliders for parties or a fun main course. By just using gluten free buns, I quickly whip up easy gluten-free appetizers that taste like main courses. In fact, they can be main courses. They're one of my favorite dinner ideas for an unexpected treat.

Recipes like my grilled chicken burgers and Reuben chicken sliders are great for parties or as a fun main dish. They're always delicious and always easy, and that's ALWAYS my favorite combination!

I also love dishes that combine spicy and sweet flavors. Recipes like my hot honey shrimp only take a few ingredients to create a complex flavor that packs a punch.

These hot honey chicken sliders combine the best of both worlds, with a big dose of sweet, spicy, smoky flavor in a small, handheld package. They're incredibly easy to make and so versatile, making them perfect for any occasion.

Pro tip: If you're serving these as a main course, a sweet treat like my blueberry lemon gluten free muffins is the perfect option. Citrus and berry flavors pair well with their spicy flavor.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Limited Ingredients: The sliders and sauce require just a few simple ingredients, all of which can be found in your kitchen or at your local grocery store.
• Easy: This recipe only takes a few simple steps and about 30 minutes from start to finish, so it's a super easy and convenient recipe you can make any time.
• So Much Flavor: The combination of crispy chicken tenders coated in hot honey sauce, smoky bacon, pickles, ranch dressing, and soft rolls creates a delicious feast you can eat in a few bites.
• Customizable: It's easy to tweak this recipe to suit your taste.
• Versatile: These make excellent appetizers or a fun, unexpected main course.

Ingredients

I used Springer Mountain Farms breaded chicken strips. I love their quality and flavor, and they never use added antibiotics or hormones or add animal by-products to their feed. They're also gluten free!

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amount.

Variations

• Buns: There is a wide variety of gluten free buns to choose from, so use your favorite. If you don't have gluten issues, Hawaiian buns are always a great choice, as well.
• More Bun Flavor: Add garlic powder, onion powder, and some Italian seasoning to the butter mixture for more flavor on your buns.
• Grilled: Replace the breaded tenders with my grilled chicken tenderloins for a grilled version.
• Less Spicy: Reduce the hot sauce by half and increase the honey by an equal amount to make a sauce with less heat.
• Ranch: I used dairy free ranch, but you can use your favorite brand if you have no issues with dairy.
• Toppings: Add your favorite toppings like red onions, dill pickles, lettuce, tomatoe, or coleslaw.
• Add Cheese: Add a slice of your favorite cheese to the bottom bun so the hot chicken can melt it just a bit. I love cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella on these sliders.

How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches

Step 1: Place the chicken strips in an even layer in your air fryer. Then, cook them at 400°F until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through cooking.

Step 2: While the tenders are cooking, cut eight rolls in half and place them in a 9x13 baking dish. Lightly brush the tops with a mixture of butter and parsley and bake at 400°F until golden.

Step 3: Mix the hot honey sauce ingredients in a small pot and simmer over medium-low heat. Then add the sauce and tenders to a large bowl and mix until coated.

Step 4: Remove the tops of the rolls and add ranch dressing to the bottoms.

Step 5: Top with the hot honey chicken tenders, bacon, and pickles.

Step 6: Add the top buns and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Always preheat your air fryer for even cooking and accurate cooking times. It only takes about five minutes!
• Place your chicken strips in an even layer in the air fryer basket for even cooking and browning.
• Let your sauce simmer for a few minutes so the flavors can fully meld.
• Use a very sharp serrated knife to cut your rolls. A sharp knife limits the amount of pressure needed to cut the rolls, which helps prevent squishing and ensures your hot honey chicken sliders look as good as they taste!
• The chicken strips come fully cooked, so there's no need to worry about doneness. Just air fry them until they're crispy and hot throughout.

Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches FAQ

More Chicken Appetizer and Dinner Ideas

★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below! I would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok for more delicious recipes.