Hot Honey Chicken Tenders

Method

1. Add the honey, apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and salt to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly. If desired, strain the honey through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the solids. Set aside.
2. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. In a separate shallow baking dish, stir together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, paprika and dried thyme.
3. Dip each chicken tenderloin in the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. Place on a plate or baking sheet until ready to fry.
4. In a deep-sided skillet, heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the chicken tenders, a few pieces at a time, for two to three minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°. Set the cooked chicken on a wire rack placed over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
5. Once all the chicken has been fried, drizzle both sides of each piece with the hot honey. Serve the chicken with the remaining hot honey as a dipping sauce. Editor's Tip: If your family includes picky eaters who are sensitive to spice, you can opt to serve the hot honey solely as a dipping sauce instead of drizzling each piece of chicken with the honey.