Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers

Clean and pat dry the chicken tenders. Remove the tendon if present.

In a bowl, season the chicken tenders generously with salt, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper.

In a shallow dish, add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Lightly dredge each seasoned chicken tender in the flour, shake off the excess, and set aside on a wire rack to rest for 5 minutes.

While the chicken rests, prepare the batters. In another shallow dish, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk to combine. This is the dry batter.

In a third bowl, pour the buttermilk. Add about 2 tablespoons of the dry batter mixture to the buttermilk and whisk until smooth. This is the wet batter.

Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet or pot to 350°F.

Working with one tender at a time, dip a flour-dusted chicken tender into the wet batter, allowing excess to drip off.

Immediately transfer the wet-battered tender to the dry batter, pressing gently to coat it completely. Shake off any excess.

Carefully place the battered chicken tenders into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 4-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through.

While the chicken is frying, prepare the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine honey, minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until well combined.

Once cooked, remove the chicken crispers from the oil and drain on a wire rack.

Add the hot, fried chicken crispers to the bowl with the honey chipotle sauce.

Toss gently to coat all the crispers evenly in the sauce.

Plate the sauced chicken crispers. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping, if desired.