Air Fryer Honey Butter Garlic Chicken Tenders with Crispy Breadcrumb Coating
By Mason Brooks
Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
On a weeknight, these honey butter garlic chicken tenders take 22 minutes to prepare. Panko breadcrumbs are added to the chicken and air-fried. Tenders are glazed with a honey butter garlic sauce made with fresh garlic to give the chicken sweet and savory flavors.
Fresh chicken tenders are patted dry with paper towels to ensure that the breadcrumb coating adheres. Ingredients used to season the breadcrumbs include salt, pepper, and paprika. Ingredients in the finishing sauce include butter, honey, and garlic. Panko breadcrumbs are recommended as an ingredient to add texture to the dish. The sauce is added to the dish near the end of the cooking process to caramelize without burning.
The tenders should be golden brown when cooked the second time, with browning on both sides. Avoid overcrowding the basket, as this will prevent air circulation and browning of the crumbs. Apply honey butter garlic glaze to the chicken during the last few minutes of cooking the chicken, and return it briefly until the glaze looks sticky and glossy.
Serve hot tenders with air-fried vegetables like sweet potatoes and a side salad. Suggested sauces for tenders include ranch mixed with hot sauce. You can use an air fryer to reheat leftover tenders for a crispy coating. Microwave reheating of leftovers won't give you a crispy coating.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Busy families can save time when serving dinner by cooking the tenders in an air fryer and making honey butter garlic sauce at the same time.
- Children who dislike spicy foods like sweet-savory chicken because the crumb topping includes paprika and black pepper, which are mildly spicy.
- Panko results in a crunchy texture because it has bigger and airier crumbs that puff up more in hot air and chicken fat.
- Families can offer fries, salad, or sweet potatoes as side dishes with entrees to give diners at the same table options for entrees.
- The glaze is a sticky topping for the chicken fingers, Honey, melted butter, and minced garlic caramelize during the final two minutes of cooking the chicken fingers.
- Leftovers reheated in an air fryer are closer in texture to the original breadcrumb coating than leftovers reheated in a microwave oven.
Ingredients
- •1 lb chicken tenders (fresh, not frozen)
- •2 tbsp butter (melted)
- •2 tbsp honey
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •½ cup breadcrumbs (panko preferred)
- •½ tsp salt
- •¼ tsp black pepper
- •¼ tsp paprika
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- 2
Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels.
- 3
Mix the breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, and paprika in a shallow bowl.
- 4
Press each chicken tender firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating every side.
- 5
Arrange the coated tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- 6
Cook for 10 minutes, flipping the tenders after 5 minutes.
- 7
Cook until the tenders are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- 8
Whisk the melted butter, honey, and minced garlic together in a small bowl.
- 9
Brush the honey butter garlic sauce over the nearly cooked tenders.
- 10
Return the tenders to the air fryer and cook for 2 more minutes.
- 11
Serve warm.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
280
Protein
25g
Fat
10g
Carbs
20g
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