Hot Honey Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe
Crispy and flavorful Hot Honey Air Fryer Chicken Tenders coated in a crunchy cornflake breading, air fried to golden perfection and drizzled with a sweet and spicy homemade hot honey sauce. This quick and easy recipe provides a healthier twist on classic fried chicken tenders using an air fryer, perfect for a delicious snack or meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Breading
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 1 large egg
- Splash of water
- 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
- Cooking oil spray (preferably avocado oil)
Hot Honey Sauce
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 – 4 Tbsp hot sauce (your favorite brand)
- Minced fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cornflake crumbs: Add the cornflake cereal to a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or empty skillet, or pulse in a food processor until crumbs form.
- Set up breading stations: Line up two shallow bowls next to an empty plate or baking sheet. In one bowl, whisk together the egg and splash of water until smooth. In the second bowl, combine crushed cornflake crumbs with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne, dried thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder, mixing well.
- Preheat air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F to ensure even cooking and crispy results.
- Bread the chicken tenders: Dip chicken strips one at a time into the egg mixture, coating all sides and letting the excess drip off. Then press the chicken into the seasoned cornflake crumbs, coating evenly. Place breaded tenders on the prepared plate and repeat for all strips.
- Air fry the chicken: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil spray. Place about 4-5 chicken tenders in the basket, leaving space between each for air circulation. Spray the tenders lightly with oil spray. Air fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through if desired, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Make the hot honey sauce: While the chicken cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in honey and hot sauce, then simmer for 1-2 minutes to combine flavors.
- Drizzle and serve: Once the chicken tenders are cooked, drizzle generously with the hot honey sauce and garnish with minced fresh parsley if using. Serve hot with optional ranch dip to balance the heat.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safety.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce in the honey sauce to suit your desired spice level.
- For an even crispier coating, double coat the chicken by dipping back into egg and crumbs again before air frying.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, this recipe can be adapted to bake in an oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Leftover hot honey chicken tenders can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the air fryer to maintain crispness.
Keywords: hot honey chicken tenders, air fryer chicken tenders, crispy chicken, spicy honey sauce, quick chicken recipe