Crispy Panko Chicken Tenders (Print View)

Air-fried chicken tenders coated in panko, finished with a sweet and spicy hot honey drizzle.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Dredging Station

04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tbsp water

→ Coating

07 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
08 - 1 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp onion powder
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil spray

→ Hot Honey

12 - ¼ cup honey
13 - 1 to 2 tsp hot sauce (e.g., Frank's RedHot or Sriracha), to taste
14 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
02 - Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towels; season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs and water, and one with panko mixed with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder.
04 - Dredge each tender in flour, shaking off excess; dip into egg wash; then coat thoroughly with the seasoned panko mixture.
05 - Lightly spray or brush both sides of breaded tenders with olive or neutral oil.
06 - Place tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket; cook for 7 to 8 minutes, flip, then cook another 6 to 7 minutes until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - In a small saucepan, gently warm honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes over low heat while stirring; do not boil.
08 - Remove tenders from air fryer; drizzle immediately with hot honey. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Air-fried instead of deep-fried, so your kitchen doesn't smell like a fast-food place for three days.
  • The hot honey is addictively sweet and spicy at the same time, with zero pretension.
  • Ready in 30 minutes total, which means you can pull this off on a weeknight without losing your mind.
02 -
  • Moisture is the enemy of crispiness, so pat that chicken completely dry and don't skip the oil spray—it sounds counterintuitive for air frying, but trust me.
  • The hot honey should be warm but not hot enough to melt the panko off; gentle heat over low is the sweet spot.
03 -
  • If you want even more crunch, double-coat by dredging a tender in panko, dipping it back in the egg, then coating it in panko again—it sounds excessive until you bite into it.
  • Leftover tenders keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days, and you can reheat them in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 3–4 minutes to restore the crunch.
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