This easy hot honey chicken tenders is nicely crisped on the outside and tender on the inside. It's packed with flavor, thanks to the hot honey sauce to finish it off. Baking it in the air fryer cuts down the fat, making this cornflake tender the perfect choice for the whole family.
Enjoy it as a side or accompanied with a bowl of chicken and fruit salad, baked potatoes, or this Ivorian acheke recipe.
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Reasons To Love This Hot Honey Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Budget-friendly: this air fryer-crusted tender is easy on the wallet, just like my hot honey chicken wings. It uses basic pantry ingredients that you might already have.
- Easy: it’s straightforward and requires less than 15 minutes to cook. Breading the chicken is probably the most challenging part, and let’s be frank: it’s not tedious once you have the braiding station set up.
- Versatile: customize this recipe by adjusting the seasoning for different flavors, choosing various cooking methods like baking, frying, or grilling, and serving it in multiple ways: on its own, in wraps, salads, or sandwiches to suit any meal.
- Healthier option: using an air fryer instead of deep frying gives this recipe healthy pointers. If you don’t have one, use the oven and adjust the baking time.
- Family-friendly: kids and adults alike will go for seconds on this fingerling. Who doesn’t love a crispy chicken fix?!
Try my Sweet and Spicy Mango Habanero Sauce or Peri Peri Chicken if you enjoyed this recipe.
📃Ingredient Description
Although the list of ingredients for the Chicken tenders with cornflakes is quite simple and likely what you have at home, there are a few tips below.
- Chicken: chicken tenderloins usually have white tendons; be sure to remove them before cooking, as this might be rubbery or tough to chew.
- Hot honey sauce: this power combo of honey and spices will serve as a dip for this dish.
- Seasoning: I seasoned the chicken with a combination of Cajun seasoning, garlic, and paprika. Be easy on the salt, as Creole seasoning packs quite a punch.
- Cornflakes: I used cornflake crumbs for this recipe. However, you can use regular unsweetened cornflakes and smash them into crumbles. I’ve found cornflakes to be the best crumb to coat poultry, even some animal protein. It leaves a beautiful restaurant-style hue on the chicken while also being crisp on the outside. For this recipe, please avoid frosted or sweetened flakes.
- Eggs: this serves as the binder for the chicken.
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates a dry, even base that helps the egg batter stick better. This allows the final coating of cornflakes to stick properly for a crispy, well-coated crust.
💭Variations and Substitutions
- Chicken: don’t have tenderloins? Use chicken breast, cut it in half horizontally, then into strips.
- Spices: In addition to the classic chicken spice, you can also use cumin, celery salt, cayenne, and dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary. You can equally make a Mexican-inspired version using my chicken taco seasoning.
- Breading: Although cornflakes are unbeatable for breading, breadcrumbs and other nut meals (crispiness will differ) will work fine.
- Sauce: You can use a different style of hot honey sauce or a less spicy version (not that this recipe is spicy, but I know the spice level is relative).
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
📝Step-by-Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are outlined in the recipe card below, but here are a few steps with visuals to guide you:
Step 1: Place the chicken tenders into a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix to combine, then set it aside to set up the breading station.
Step 2: Combine the seasoning with the flour and cornflake crumbles. Prepare the working station to make the flow easier.
Step 3: Use kitchen tongs to dip a strip of the tenders into the flour, shake to release the excess, then dip it into the egg batter and then the crumbs.
Step 4: Place the ingredients for the hot honey sauce into a bowl and heat for a few seconds. Stir to combine, and set aside.
Step 5: Place the breaded tenders on a baking sheet as they are breaded or directly into the air fryer. If you have a smaller air fryer, bake in batches.
Step 6: Spray the air fryer basket and transfer the chicken to it. Bake and drizzle with hot honey sauce or use it as a dip. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳Maur's Tips
- The seasoning on the tenders is light on purpose. We add more seasoning to the breading to add flavor, so each seasoning compliments the other well without overpowering the other.
- A wet batter (like buttermilk or yogurt) isn’t ideal for air-fried tenders as the moisture doesn’t allow for an even cooking or crisp layer that doesn’t fall apart.
- For this recipe, please avoid frosted or sweetened flakes, as this would make the tenders too sweet.
- I recommend making the breading with flour, egg, and crumbs in a three-part process so that it will adhere to the chicken.
- 8-10 minutes is ideal for not overcooking the chicken, but you can cook it longer for a crunchy texture.
✅Recipe FAQS
The best way to store air-fried crusted chicken tenders is to let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sogginess. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Warm them in an air fryer at 375°F for 3–5 minutes to reheat and keep them crispy.
Yes, baking or air frying is a healthier option than drenching the tenders in oil. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes or air-fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.
It's best to use plain cornflakes to avoid an overly sweet coating. If you'd like to experiment, use a 1:1 ratio of plain and frosted flakes.
Love Chicken? Here are more Chicken Recipes to Try:
Have you given this recipe or any other from my website a try? Please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and sharing your experience in the 📝 comments section. Your feedback means the world to me, and I'm excited to hear from you!
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
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📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Kitchen tong
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground garlic
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 tablespoon paprika divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups cornflake crumbs see note 2
- Cooking spray preferably olive oil or avocado oil
For the Hot Honey
- ½ cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce or hot sauce see note 1
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or chili flakes
Instructions
- For the Chicken:
- Trim any tendons from the chicken (the white strings). If using chicken breast, cut into strips to about an inch.2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- Place the chicken tenders into a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle it with salt, black pepper, and garlic. Combine using your hands until it’s thoroughly mixed. Set aside.1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground garlic
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare the breading station:
- Whisk the eggs in a medium-sized wide bowl and set aside.2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon paprika
- Pour the flour onto a large plate, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning and half a tablespoon of paprika, and set aside.2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon paprika
- Place the cornflake crumbles onto a wide plate. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning half a tablespoon paprika, and set aside.2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, 1 ½ cups cornflake crumbs, 1 tablespoon paprika
- If using regular cornflakes, pulse the flakes in a food processor for about 30 seconds until crushed but not completely crumbled.
- Bread the Chicken Tenders:
- Using a kitchen thong or fork, lift each chicken strip and dip it into the plate/bowl with flour, making sure to coat all corners. Gently shake to remove any excess.
- Next, dip the same strip into the bowl with egg, coating all sides, and remove and shake off any excess.
- Finally, dip into the plate/bowl with cornflake crumbs coating all sides (if possible, use your hands), and remove and shake off any excess. Lay flat on the lined baking sheet while you repeat the process for the rest of the strips.
- Lightly spray the bottom trays of the air fryer with cooking spray.Cooking spray
- Transfer the tenders into the preheated airfryer basket on a single layer, and be sure not to overcrowd the tray. If you have a smaller tray, air fry in batches. Spray the chicken tenders lightly with more spray.
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cooked through, remove from the fryer.
- For the Hot Honey
- While the chicken bakes, Place the honey, sriracha, and chili powder/flakes into a microwave-safe container. Heat in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. Stir and check the consistency; if needed, heat in 5-second intervals until warmed through.**(You want the ingredients to marry but not scorch or cook.)½ cup raw honey, 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce, 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Cool for about 10 minutes or until thickened and pourable. You can equally heat the sauce in a saucepan on low heat for 2 minutes. Transfer it to a jar or bowl and set aside for later.
- I prefer crispy tenders, so I drizzle only a little hot honey sauce over the chicken. You can dip the chicken in the hot honey sauce or brush it over the tenders. Enjoy!Please refer to the body of the posts for more useful cooking tips, process shots, and serving options.
Notes
- If you don’t like spicy honey sauce, use less chili powder. If you like spicy food, add some cayenne or more Sriracha sauce.
- If you can’t find cornflake crumbs, use regular, unfrosted cornflakes. Place them in a food processor and pulse them a few times until they are slightly crumbly. You can also pound them in a ziplock bag.
- Store cooled air-fried chicken tenders in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. They last up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes for crispiness. Please note the tenders might dry up a bit.
- To freeze, place it on a lined baking sheet and freeze it for about an hour, then transfer it to a tightly sealed ziplock bag.
Riley says
Riley here again, this was the best chicken tenders i've ever made! Super easy! Won't be buying chicken tenders from the store anymore. I won't lie, I was worried about the cornflakes, but it's a game changer
Oge says
This was very tantalizing and crispy! This is the only recipe I’ll be using to make my kinds chicken nuggets. Thank you 😊