Skip the drive-thru and make these easy, healthier Hot Honey Chicken Tenders instead. Make them in the air fryer or oven!
Who doesn’t love chicken tenders? They were a favourite as a kid, and this hot honey sauce just takes them to the next level as an adult. Everyone will love these!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crispy without the deep fry: You get that amazing crunch thanks to the cornflake coating, so no extra oil or messy frying required.
- Quick weeknight winner: Cooks in about 15 minutes, so dinner is basically done before you even think about takeout.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken tenders – you can buy tenders pre-cut at the store or cut two chicken breasts into four pieces each.
- Flour – swap out for a gluten-free flour of your choice. Potato starch or arrow root would also be good.
- Buttermilk – mayo or egg will help coat the chicken if you don’t have any buttermilk.
- Crushed cornflakes – panko breadcrumbs can be used instead.
- Paprika – cayenne will provide a similar flavour but has more of a spicy kick.
- Garlic powder – swap out for onion powder.
- Cooking spray – you’ll need this to coat the air fryer.
- Carrots & celery – serve your tenders with another veggies of your choice.
Hot honey sauce
- Honey – the honey is the star of this recipe. You could try making the sauce with agave or maple syrup, but it won’t have the same flavour.
- Buffalo sauce – add more for extra heat, or use your favourite hot sauce instead.
- Chili flakes – optional so feel free to skip if you don’t have any or to reduce the heat.
How to make hot honey chicken tenders
Step 1: Prep coatings.
Prep three bowls with the corn flakes, buttermilk and flour mixture. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture.
Step 2: Coat the chicken.
After the flour, dip the chicken in buttermilk.
Step 3: Final coating.
Coat the chicken in the crushed cornflakes.
Step 4: Cook the tenders.
Add to the air fryer basket, spray and season with salt then air fry.
Step 5: Make the sauce.
Mix together the honey, buffalo sauce and chili flakes to make the hot honey sauce.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Drizzle the chicken tenders with sauce, then serve with veggies and your fave dipping sauces.
Tips for the best chicken tenders
Here are some of my favourite ways to serve these hot honey chicken tenders:
- Don’t crowd the basket: Give each tender enough space in the air fryer so they crisp evenly.
- Shake it off: Shake off excess flour and buttermilk before adding cornflakes to avoid soggy spots.
- Season well: Don’t forget salt and pepper on each layer for full flavor.
- Check doneness: Tenders cook quickly so watch the timer so they stay juicy and don’t dry out.
- Sauce it right: Drizzle hot honey just before serving to keep them crispy.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make sure the chicken tenders are crispy and don’t get dry?
Coat the chicken in flour, buttermilk, and crushed cornflakes, then cook in the air fryer for that perfect crunch that’s so much healthier than deep frying. Just be careful not to overcook so they stay juicy inside. Use a meat thermometer to help!
Is the sauce spicy?
The hot honey sauce definitely has a kick to it, but you can adjust the amount of buffalo sauce and chili flakes depending on your spice tolerance. The sweetness of the honey really helps balance it out too.
Can you make them as chicken nuggets?
Yes! Just cut the strips into nugget sized pieces and bread as normal. You’ll likely need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes, so keep an eye on the nuggets to ensure they don’t overcook.
What to serve with hot honey chicken tenders
- Extra hot honey or ranch and blue cheese sauce would be amazing! Try my bang bang sauce and big mac sauce too.
- A side of fries is classic, but I also love tater tots or sweet potato fries.
- Fresh veggies like carrots and celery help balance it all out.
- Use them as a topping on this strawberry spinach salad or another salad of your choice
- Stuff them in a wrap or in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option
Storing and reheating
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer for 5 minutes or in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes to keep them crispy. Microwaving for 1–2 minutes is also fine but the tenders will lose some crispiness.
Freezing: Flash freeze cooked tenders on a tray for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container or resealable bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrosting and reheating: Reheat straight from frozen in the air fryer for 5–7 minutes per side. Drizzle with hot honey sauce and serve.
More air fryer chicken recipes
Homemade Hot Honey Chicken Tenders {Air Fryer or Oven}
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
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!
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