Buffalo Chicken Tenders

These easy Buffalo Chicken Tenders are a gluten free version of a classic appetizer and need just four ingredients to make. Less messy than wings but with all the spicy flavor, serve these as a game-day snack or round them out into a flavorful dinner!

Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Tenders Recipe

Delicious Details

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
Skill Level: Easy

These buffalo chicken tenders are one of my favorite flavorful quick dinner options. This recipe actually comes from my husband, and it’s become one of our family staples when we are craving something spicy, but don’t want to fuss with wings.

Tender chicken is bathed in a buttery hot sauce and cooked on the stove for a quick main or afternoon nibble. In my buffalo chicken tenders recipe you’ll skip breading and frying the chicken, unlike other recipes, turning them into a gluten free choice that everyone can enjoy. The chicken is sticky, smoky, and spicy, with a gorgeous caramelization that comes from being pan-fried. I know you’ll love these!

Dinner or a snack. You can make these chicken tenders buffalo the main dish or double the batch and serve them as the ultimate game day snack. See some great side dish options lower down.
Gluten Free. Many more traditional buffalo chicken tenders recipes call for breading the chicken, but I’ve eliminated that step to keep them naturally gluten free without calling for any substitutes. You’ll find the familiar flavors of buffalo chicken in this dish but it’s gluten free!
Few ingredients! I love a simple dish that still packs a flavorful punch, and these chicken tenders more than deliver. If you have buffalo hot sauce you’ll just need chicken, butter, and basic seasonings to quickly throw this recipe together.

Caramelized and seasoned buffalo chicken tenders are served on a white plate.

What You’ll Need

As noted, just a handful of simple ingredients go into these super flavorful chicken tenders buffalo! Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.

Chicken Tenders: Use boneless, skinless chicken tenders.
Salt and Pepper: I use kosher salt and black pepper in this recipe.
Butter: Unsalted butter is best so that it doesn’t make the chicken too salty.
Hot Sauce: I love Frank’s Red Hot hot sauce, but you can use your favorite brand of hot sauce.
Paprika: For a bit of additional smoky flavor.
To Serve: Make my recipes for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip and Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dip!

The ingredients for buffalo chicken tenders are shown portioned and labeled: chicken tenders, paprika, salt and pepper, butter, buffalo hot sauce.

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders

You’ll be able to make this recipe in less than 30 minutes, and you can see how to do it below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

Season. Using salt and pepper, season the chicken on both sides.
Melt the butter. In a skillet, melt the butter then add the chicken.

A hand sprinkles salt and pepper into raw chicken tenders. — Season chicken.

Tongs move and help to cook chicken tenders in a cast iron skillet. — Season chicken.

Cook the chicken. Now cook the chicken on both sides until golden.
Add hot sauce. Pour in the hot sauce.

Chicken tenders cook in a cast iron skillet. — Chicken chicken.

Hot sauce is poured over chicken tenders in a cast iron skillet. — Chicken chicken.

Add paprika to the chicken. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of paprika over one side of the chicken.
Flip. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the other side with paprika.

Half of the paprika is added to the chicken in the skillet. — Add paprika.

Tongs mix in the seasonings to the skillet. — Add paprika.

Toss chicken in the sauce. Turn and toss the chicken so that it’s evenly coated with the sauce.
Cook. Continue to cook the chicken until it’s cooked through and the sauce is thick.

Tongs mix in hot sauce to the chicken. — Toss.

The seasoned chicken tenders are shown cooked in the skillet. — Toss.

Tips & Variations

Here are a few tips and easy variations to try when you make this recipe:

Bring the chicken to room temperature. Let the chicken rest on the counter out of the fridge for at least 15 minutes before cooking it. This will help the chicken to cook more evenly.
Use a meat thermometer. When you’re cooking chicken on the stove, it can be difficult to know when it’s cooked to a safe temperature. Chicken tenders are fully cooked when an instant-read thermometer shows 165°F. For accuracy, use a meat thermometer to check the chicken.
Make them dairy-free. If you wish to make these buffalo tenders dairy-free, substitute non-dairy butter for the butter and proceed with the recipe as written.
Lower the heat. Buffalo chicken tenders wouldn’t have that classic buffalo sauce taste without the hot sauce, but I get it, not everyone likes a lot of heat. You can use a milder hot sauce to cook the chicken so it suits your spice taste.
Other cuts of chicken. You can use this general method to make buffalo wings or to infuse shredded chicken with the buffalo chicken flavors.

Buffalo chicken tenders are served with a bowl of dipping sauce.

How To Store Leftovers

Here’s how to store and rewarm any leftover chicken:

Fridge – Place cooled chicken tenders in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Reheat – Add a little hot sauce to a skillet, and heat the chicken on the stove over medium heat, tossing and flipping to heat evenly. Or, reheat the chicken in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes until warmed through.

Dipping sauce is served on a serving plate with buffalo chicken tenders.

Make It A Meal

Buffalo chicken tenders are a fantastic appetizer or you can make them into a complete meal with a few extras, like fries or pasta. See some of our favorite ways to enjoy chicken tenders below.

Potatoes. We love fries, and Air Fryer French Fries are always a hit! Or, make a batch of crisp and tangy Air Fryer Ranch Potatoes to go with buffalo chicken tenders.
Add a salad. For a lighter meal, serve chicken tenders with a fresh salad like a juicy Easy Greek Salad or a heartier Three Bean Salad. Chicken is also great with a side of fruit salad like my Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad recipe, or serve it with slices of fresh pineapple.
Macaroni and cheese. Go ahead and turn buffalo chicken tenders into the ultimate comfort food meal with a side of macaroni and cheese! I love serving them with my recipe for Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese, or an easy pot of Gluten Free Stove Top Mac and Cheese.
Coleslaw. Serve a crunchy side of coleslaw with chicken tenders. I have several options, including a sweet-savory Hawaiian Coleslaw recipe or a classic Coleslaw.
Homemade bread. Make a batch of gluten free bread or rolls to go with buffalo chicken tenders! I love pairing them with Gluten Free Hawaiian Rolls or Gluten Free Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls.

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