Description
These air fryer honey butter garlic chicken tenders deliver crispy, flavorful satisfaction with less oil. A sweet and savory garlic sauce takes them over the top—perfect for quick dinners or party appetizers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenders or breasts cut into strips
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate chicken tenders in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare three bowls: flour with half the seasonings, beaten eggs, and panko with remaining seasonings.
- Dredge chicken in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Press gently and place on a rack.
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F and spray basket with cooking spray.
- Air fry tenders in a single layer for 6 minutes. Flip and cook 6 more minutes until golden and 165°F inside.
- In a saucepan, melt butter and sauté garlic. Add honey, soy sauce, and vinegar. Simmer 3–4 minutes and add red pepper flakes.
- Toss cooked tenders in warm sauce and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t skip preheating the air fryer or the rest time after breading—these steps ensure crispiness and better adherence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3-4 tenders with sauce
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 95mg