Homemade Hot Honey Chicken Tenders {Air Fryer or Oven}
Skip the drive-thru and make these easy, healthier Hot Honey Chicken Tenders instead. Make them in the air fryer or oven!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 554kcal
- 8 chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts cut into 4 pieces each
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup crushed cornflakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- Cooking spray
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalked chopped
Hot honey sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tbsp buffalo sauce or more to taste
- 1 pinch chili flakes optional
Air Fryer instructions
Add flour, paprika and garlic powder to a bowl, mixing to combine. Add buttermilk to another bowl and crushed cornflakes to another bowl. Coat each chicken tender in the flour mixture, then coat in buttermilk, coating in crushed cornflakes last. Meanwhile, preheat air fryer to 400 for 5 minutes.
Add to air fryer basket, spraying with cooking spray and seasoning generously with salt. Air fry for 5-7 minutes per side depending on how full the air fryer basket is. I have the XXL so all of mine fit in one go, and I found 6 minutes per side was ideal. You may need to do yours in batches to avoid crowding.
Meanwhile, make the hot honey sauce by mixing honey, buffalo sauce and chili flakes in a large bowl. When chicken is done, drizzle sauce overtop then serve with carrots and celery and your fave dipping sauces. Enjoy!
Oven instructions
Preheat oven to 425 F. Add flour, paprika and garlic powder to a bowl, mixing to combine. Add buttermilk to another bowl and crushed cornflakes to another bowl. Coat each chicken tender in the flour mixture, then coat in buttermilk, coating in crushed cornflakes last.
Add each coated tender to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spraying with cooking spray and seasoning generously with salt. Bake for 7-8 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, make the hot honey sauce by mixing honey, buffalo sauce and chili flakes in a large bowl. When chicken is done, drizzle sauce overtop then serve with carrots and celery and your fave dipping sauces. Enjoy!
Add more or less buffalo sauce depending on your spice tolerance and preference.
Swap out the hot honey for homemade ranch, BBQ sauce, plum sauce or honey mustard sauce.
Serve your tenders as a salad topping or in a wrap.
Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer or the oven at 375 F.
Freeze the cooked chicken tenders for 3 months. Reheat in the air fryer from frozen for 5-7 minutes per side.
Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 6508IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 19mg