# Hot Honey Chicken Tenders, Mac & Cheese with Collard Greens

This recipe includes hot honey chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and collard greens, perfect for a southern-inspired meal.

- Cuisine: American
- Category: Sauce & Condiment
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- chicken tenders
- pepper
- garlic powder
- Tony Chachere's No Salt Seasoning Blend
- paprika
- Louisiana hot sauce
- buttermilk
- collard greens
- 1 onion
- garlic
- 1 smoked turkey drum
- 4 cups chicken stock
- chicken bouillon
- brown sugar
- butter
- vinegar
- Barilla Cellentani pasta
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese
- 1 pound Colby Jack cheese
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter for roux
- salt
- pepper for roux
- garlic powder for roux
- paprika for roux
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 can Carnation Kickin' Jalapeño Flavored Evaporated Milk
- tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- flour for dredging
- corn starch
- honey

## Instructions

1. Season chicken tenders with pepper, garlic powder, Tony Chachere's No Salt Seasoning Blend, and paprika.
2. Add Louisiana hot sauce to the seasoned chicken tenders.
3. Submerge the chicken tenders in buttermilk and mix well.
4. Marinate the chicken tenders in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
5. Chop the collard greens.
6. Wash the chopped collard greens thoroughly about five to six times until the water is clear.
7. Chop an entire onion and some garlic.
8. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in a pot for a few minutes.
9. Add a smoked turkey drum to the pot with the sautéed onions and garlic.
10. Pour in 4 cups of chicken stock.
11. Add the collard greens to the pot until they wilt down.
12. Season the collard greens with chicken bouillon, brown sugar, butter, and a splash of vinegar.
13. Cover the pot and let the collard greens simmer on low for about 2 hours until the turkey meat falls off the bone.
14. Shred 1 pound of mozzarella, 1 pound of Colby Jack, and 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese.
15. Boil Cellentani noodles for about 8 minutes.
16. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan.
17. Season the melted butter with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
18. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the seasoned butter to create a roux.
19. Slowly whisk in an entire can of Carnation Kickin' Jalapeño Flavored Evaporated Milk.
20. Add a few tablespoons of Dijon mustard to the sauce.
21. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.
22. Slowly whisk in half of the shredded cheese mixture.
23. Add more seasonings to the cheese sauce and fold in the cooked noodles.
24. Layer the mac and cheese in a baking dish with noodles and cheese, topping with the remaining cheese.
25. Bake the mac and cheese in the oven at 375°F for about 25 minutes until the top is crispy.
26. Dredge the marinated chicken tenders in a mixture of flour, corn starch, and seasonings.
27. Let the coated chicken tenders rest on a wire rack.
28. Fry the chicken tenders in oil heated to 350°F for about 8 minutes until crispy.
29. Melt butter, hot sauce, and honey in a pan to create the hot honey sauce.
30. Toss the fried chicken tenders in the hot honey sauce.
31. Serve the hot honey chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and collard greens on a plate.
32. Drizzle collard greens with vinegar and hot sauce.

## Equipment

- mixing bowl
- knife
- cutting board
- pot
- strainer
- grater
- frying pan
- whisk
- baking dish
- wire rack
- oven

## Tips

- Always chop up an entire onion and some garlic for the collard greens.
- Wash collard greens five to six times until the water runs clear to avoid graininess.
- For mac and cheese, use jalapeño flavored condensed milk for a unique taste.
- Rest chicken tenders on a wire rack after coating them to prepare for frying.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.tiktok.com/@5tfumatthew/video/7548217973249445150
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/30f7a50a-2f7a-4aa6-b714-9e027dc18042
- Extracted: 2025-10-09

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt