Put these Spicy Barbecue Chicken Tenders on the dinner table soon. Chicken Tenders marinaded in a Homemade Barbecue Sauce and cooked to perfection. Adults and kids alike will love them and be coming back for seconds. They go great with a light salad or even some Crispy Oven Fries!
I think we all need a little barbecuing in January. Am I right? But don’t worry friends, these Barbecue Chicken Tenders are cooked in the comfort of you kitchen so you don’t have to brave the cold temps outside. Mind you, I live in southern Spain….lol.
Anyway, whether it’s summer or winter, these chicken tenders are a huge hit at our place. My teens love them and have been enjoying them for years and years. A super easy dinner or lunch you can put together in no time at all.
And, if you love my Oven Barbecue Chicken with Sour Cream & Chives or my Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs, you will absolutely love these. I used the same Homemade Barbecue Sauce and it’s a real keeper.
Here’s The Ingredients You’ll Need To Make The Spicy Barbecue Chicken Tenders
- Chicken tenders
- 1 Cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 Onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Make The Barbecue Sauce
- Combine all barbecue sauce ingredients – in a small saucepan, combine all of the barbecue sauce ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Cook barbecue sauce – bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to high heat, about 2 -3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and let cook for about 20 more minutes. Stir occasionally while it cooks.
Prepare & Cook The Chicken Tenders
- Preheat oven – preheat the oven to 375 degrees f/190 degrees c. Place the rack in the center of the oven.
- Coat the tenders- place the chicken tenders in a bowl and pour over the barbecue sauce. Stir well to coat.
- Place on a baking tray – Place the coated chicken tenders on a greased baking tray.
- Bake chicken tenders – Bake the chicken tender for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
COOKING TIP – If your chicken tenders aren’t charred like the ones you see here, place them under the broiler in the oven for about 2 – 3 minutes.
These the baked chicken tenders you need to be making right now. Fresh from the oven you can sprinkle them with chives or parsley to add a bit of pizazz if you like
What are some Great Side Dishes To Serve With These Barbecue Chicken Tenders
- Potatoes – These would go great with the Crispy Garlic Potatoes with a Creamy Chive Dip or even the Potato & Cucumber Salad.
- Salads – My recent new Greek Style Salad with Marinaded Feta would be wonderful with these tenders. Or you could try the Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad.
- Vegetable Sides – The Oven Roasted Italian Green Peppers or the Sheet Pan Vegetables would both be great choices.
Are There Any Substitutions I can Make To These Chicken Tenders
- White wine vinegar – you can use apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar.
- Brown sugar – granulated white sugar will work as well or even honey.
- Dijon mustard – I used smooth Dijon mustard, but grainy would also work. And if you are not a fan of Dijon mustard, you can use regular yellow mustard.
- Chili flakes – these bring the heat and I highly recommend using them But if you prefer these tenders to be milder, just omit them or use half of what the recipe calls for.
- Chicken tenders – You could easily use 11l of chicken breasts and just cut it into strips. Alternatively, you could use this on wings. Just remember, wings will take longer to cook, probably about 45 minutes in the oven.
Notes About The Spicy Barbecue Chicken Strips
- These chicken strips are great on their own or can even be put in between bread buns to make a sandwich.
- We like them spicy, but if you don’t, leave out the chilies.
- Another nice idea is to have a yogurt or ranch dipping sauce on the side.
- The barbecue sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge.
If you get a chance to make the chicken strips, let me know in the comments below. They are really great. And check out the Sides & Salads to check out some great side dishes like the Paprika Spiced Potato Wedges or the Zucchini Pasta Salad in a Lemon Vinaigrette. Happy cooking friends!
Spicy Barbecue Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 Cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 Onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the barbecue sauce by combining the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, diced onion, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper in a small sauce pan. Stir to combine completely and cook over medium to high heat and bring it to a simmer, about 2 – 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 20 more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees f/190 degrees c. Grease a large baking tray and set aside.
- Place the chicken tenders in a large shallow bowl. Pour over barbecue sauce and stir to coat completely. Place the chicken tenders on the baking tray spaced apart. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from oven and garnish with parsley or chives if desired. Serve straight away.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
i had to double the recipe cuz it was gone so fast!
Same happens here!
These chicken strips are so good! Sometimes I’m at a loss for what to do with chicken breasts, so it’s great to have this option.
So easy and delish!
This homemade BBQ sauce was absolutely delicious! What a wonderful and easy recipe!
Been making that sauce for decades now, we love it too!
My boys definitely approved of these for dinner! They were gone in a flash!
My teens love them too!
We loved these BBQ chicken tenders. The leftovers are great for school lunch burritos and wraps!
Yes, great for leftovers!
Family loved them! I love that it’s an easy dinner and I needed some chicken variety in my life!
Thanks Terri, happy everyone liked them.
Oh, these look absolutely fantastic! I usually end up avoiding making chicken fingers, because I get focused on the idea that they have to be breaded, and … I can’t be bothered to. LOL.
Definitely going to put these into rotation!
I know what you mean Marie, but this way is so easy. Hope you enjoy them and thank you!