1-First Step: Preheat and melt the butter Start by heating your oven to 425°F. Place the 3 tablespoons of butter in a glass 9×13-inch pan and set it in the oven until the butter melts. This takes just a few minutes, and it gives the chicken a flavorful base right away. Once melted, carefully remove the pan from the oven and tilt it if needed so the butter spreads across the bottom. This step is small, but it matters. The butter helps the flour-coated chicken brown a little and keeps the bottom from drying out. It also adds a rich taste that works so well with the sweet and spicy sauce.

2-Second Step: Prep the chicken Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. This helps the flour stick better and keeps the coating from turning gummy. After that, season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. You do not need much here because the sauce adds plenty of flavor later. Next, place the 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour in a shallow dish or plate. Dredge each chicken tender in the flour, then shake off the extra. You want a light coating, not a thick crust. That thin layer helps create the sticky finish once the sauce goes on.

3-Third Step: Arrange and bake the chicken Lay the coated chicken tenders in a single layer in the buttered pan. Try not to crowd them too much, since even spacing helps them cook evenly. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. While the chicken bakes, this is a great time to make the sauce. Because the chicken only gets a short first bake, it stays juicy and does not dry out. That is one reason this baked sweet spicy sticky chicken works so well for busy nights.

4-Fourth Step: Make the sticky sauce In a saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth, vinegar, ketchup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. Set it over medium heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir often so the sugars dissolve and the sauce becomes smooth. This is also the moment to adjust the heat level. If you like a milder sauce, use less chili garlic sauce. If you want more kick, add a little more. If you want to read more about hot sauce and spice, this hot sauce nutrition guide is a helpful read. One of the best tricks is to simmer the sauce before it goes on the chicken. That gives you faster thickening and helps keep the chicken from overcooking.

5-Fifth Step: Pour, bake again, and finish Take the chicken out of the oven after the first 10 minutes and pour the hot sauce evenly over the top. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through, and the sauce should look bubbly and thickened. When the chicken is done, spoon the sauce from the pan over the top so every piece gets coated. Serve it right away over hot cooked rice. The rice soaks up the sauce and makes every bite extra good. If you want a fun side or dessert for a full meal night, you could also pair it with a creamy strawberry milkshake for a sweet finish.