Description
This Air Fryer Honey Butter Chicken Tenders recipe offers a deliciously crispy and flavorful meal that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a tasty snack. Tender chicken marinated in a spiced buttermilk mix, coated with a crunchy flour and cornmeal crust, and air fried to golden perfection, then drizzled with a sweet and buttery honey sauce. It’s a delightful combination of savory, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors with a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
Honey Butter Sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
Other
- Cooking spray or olive oil spray
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the chicken tenders in a large bowl.
- Marinate: Pour the buttermilk over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are well-coated.
- Add Seasonings: Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the buttermilk.
- Mix Marinade: Mix until the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.
- Refrigerate: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- Prepare Coating: In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour and cornmeal, then mix well and set aside.
- Make Honey Butter Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat.
- Add Honey: Remove from heat and stir in honey.
- Add Hot Sauce: Add hot sauce if desired, and mix well. Set aside.
- Preheat Air Fryer: After marinating, preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 5 minutes.
- Coat Chicken: Remove chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off.
- Dredge: Dredge each tender in the flour and cornmeal mixture, pressing gently for an even coating.
- Arrange Coated Chicken: Place coated tenders on a plate or baking sheet.
- Prepare Air Fryer Basket: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil spray.
- Place Tenders in Basket: Arrange chicken tenders in a single layer in the basket, avoiding overcrowding.
- Spray Tenders: Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray.
- Cook: Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F/75°C).
- Coat with Sauce: Remove cooked tenders from the air fryer and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle Sauce: Drizzle honey butter sauce over the hot tenders, tossing gently to coat.
- Serve Sauce on Side: Serve any leftover sauce on the side for dipping.
- Serve: Serve warm, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
- Suggested Pairings: Pair with coleslaw, sweet potato fries, or a fresh garden salad.
- Optional Serving: For a twist, serve in a sandwich or wrap.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour to ensure tenderness and flavor; overnight marinating works best.
- Using cooking spray on the air fryer basket and chicken helps achieve a crispy texture without deep frying.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce in the honey butter sauce according to your spice preference or omit for a milder flavor.
- Ensure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow even cooking and crispiness.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is safely cooked.
- Leftover honey butter sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently before serving.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour and ensure cornmeal is gluten-free certified.
