Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
These Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Tenders are crispy on the outside, juicy and tender inside, and finished with a sweet and spicy hot honey sauce. The cornflake coating gives them plenty of crunch without deep frying.
Servings: 6
Calories: 627kcal
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
- Arrange the tenders in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket without overcrowding. Lightly spray with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cook in batches if needed.
- 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
- Serving: 2 lbs. chicken tenders will serve about 4-6 people depending on portion size and sides.
- My air fryer fits about 6 tenders at a time, so I cook the 12 tenders in two batches.
- 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 zip lock bag.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1286mg | Potassium: 833mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 3049IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 20mg
