Description
Crispy and flavorful hot honey chicken tenders made in the air fryer with a crunchy cornflake breading and drizzled with a spicy sweet hot honey sauce. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal served with a fresh herb garnish and optional dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- splash of water
Cornflake breading
- 2 cups crushed cornflake cereal
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Hot honey sauce
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 - 4 Tbsp hot sauce (your favorite brand)
Miscellaneous ingredients
- Cooking oil spray (avocado oil recommended) for air fryer
- Minced fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the breading: Crush 2 cups of cornflake cereal using a rolling pin or food processor until fine crumbs form. In one shallow bowl, whisk together 1 large egg with a splash of water. In a second bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
- Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400°F and allow it to preheat while preparing the chicken.
- Bread the chicken tenders: Dip each chicken strip first into the egg wash, coating all sides and letting excess drip off. Then press each piece firmly into the cornflake breading mixture until completely coated. Place breaded tenders onto a plate or baking sheet.
- Air fry the chicken tenders: Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil spray. Arrange 4-5 chicken tenders in the basket making sure they do not overlap and there is space for air circulation. Spray the top of the tenders lightly with cooking spray. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping if needed, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Repeat for remaining batches.
- Make the hot honey sauce: While the chicken cooks, melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1/4 cup honey and 3-4 Tbsp of your favorite hot sauce. Let the sauce simmer gently for 1-2 minutes until well combined and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Drizzle the hot honey sauce liberally over the cooked chicken tenders. Garnish with minced fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot with optional ranch dressing for dipping to balance the heat.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 10 chicken tenders, serving about 4-5 people.
- Store-bought hot honey can be substituted for the homemade hot honey sauce by omitting the butter, honey, and hot sauce ingredients and simply drizzling your favorite brand on the cooked tenders.
- To bake instead of air frying, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place breaded tenders on a wire rack over a baking sheet or on parchment paper and bake for 20-23 minutes, turning halfway through, until crispy and cooked through.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F internally for safety.
- Avocado oil spray is recommended for a healthy crispy finish but use any preferred cooking oil spray.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 chicken tenders (about 120g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
