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These Honey Hot Chicken Tenders are a must-make for family dinners. Crispy air-fried tenders get drizzled with a sweet-and-spicy hot honey sauce, and everyone at the table goes back for more.

closeup shot of air fried hot honey chicken tenders on a white plate with sliced dill pickles and topped with fresh parsley as garnish.

round white dinner plate topped with a crumpled piece of white parchment paper with honey hot chicken tenders drizzled with hot honey sauce, sprinkled with parsley, and served with sliced dill pickles with extra sauce and extra pickle slices in small bowls in the top and bottom of the frame.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Tips & Variations
Storage & Reheating
FAQs
More Air Fryer recipes you'll love
Recipe
Honey Hot Chicken Tenders

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Sweet heat in every bite: Breaded chicken tenders are brushed with a homemade hot honey sauce, giving them a ton of crunch and the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
Simple ingredients: Made simply with honey and the perfect combination of sea salt and spices.
Crowd-pleasing flavor: Sweet, crispy and just spicy enough - kids and adults both reach for them.
Perfect for any occasion: A delicious casual dinner to serve up to family or friends on game nights, movie nights, and everything in between.

45 degree angle of a plate with crispy air fried chicken tenders drizzled in hot honey sauce and served with a side of sliced pickles.

Ingredients

For the Spicy Honey Sauce

Honey: The star of the hot honey sauce, providing that signature sticky sweetness that complements the heat perfectly.
Hot sauce: Use your favorite spicy hot sauce.
Cayenne pepper: Adds a kick of heat to the sauce; if you're averse to spice, you can decrease the cayenne, or if you're a hothead, add an additional amount to bump up the spice.
Garlic powder: Rounds out the savory depth of the sauce.
Chili powder: The chili powder adds a very subtle smokiness to the sweet, spicy, salty sauce.
Pinch of salt: Balances and brightens all the flavors in the sauce.

For the Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders: I used chicken tenderloins but feel free to use chicken breasts sliced into long strips.
Panko breadcrumbs: Coating the tenders in panko gives them a golden, crispy crust around the outside.
All purpose flour: Coating the tenders in all-purpose flour before cooking gives them structure and helps the breading adhere.
Kosher salt: Seasons the breading for well-rounded flavor throughout.
Paprika: Adds color and mild smoky flavor to the breading mixture.
Garlic powder: Adds savory, aromatic depth to the breading mixture.
Onion powder: Adds savory depth to the seasoned coating.
Black pepper: Gives the breading a subtle bite that complements the other spices.
Large eggs: Dipping the tenders in the egg wash helps the flour coating stick to the chicken.
Milk: Combined with the eggs to create a smooth, cohesive egg wash.
Hot sauce: Whisked into the egg mixture to infuse the chicken with extra flavor before breading.
Olive oil spray: Apply olive oil spray to the chicken tenders before air frying so they crisp up beautifully.

Instructions

Make the spicy honey sauce. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the honey, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.
Warm and steep the sauce. After about five minutes of warming, turn off the heat and let it steep while you prepare the chicken.
Mix the dry breading. In a large bowl, combine the panko, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, then mix thoroughly.
Prepare the egg wash. In a second large bowl, combine the beaten egg, milk, hot sauce, and the remaining salt and pepper, then whisk together.

honey, hot sauce, and seasonings added to a small silver saucepan to make the spicy hot honey sauce.

breadcrumbs, flour, and seasonings added to a bowl to make the chicken breading mixture before stirring together.

whipped eggs in a bowl with milk, hot sauce, and seasoning added in the center of the frame and the breadcrumb mixture in a separate bowl in the top of the frame.

Coat the chicken tenders. Dip each chicken tender first in the egg mixture, then in the panko mixture, pressing the panko firmly onto the surface to adhere.

raw chicken tender in the saffron yellow egg wash mix flavored with hot sauce.

dredging station set up with a single chicken tender that had already been dipped into the egg wash bowl at the top of the frame covered in the breadcrumb mixture in the middle of the frame with a plate of raw, naked tenders in the very bottom corner of the frame.

silver baking tray with 12 homemade breaded chicken tenders that have yet to be cooked.

Prepare for air frying. Place the coated chicken tenders on a baking sheet and spray them evenly with olive oil spray.
Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
Air fry the tenders. Arrange the chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them; cook, turning halfway through, for 8 to 9 minutes.
Check for doneness. Check doneness with a meat thermometer - the chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve. Serve the chicken tenders with a drizzle of honey sauce.

5 raw breaded chicken tenders in the base of an air fryer.

5 homemade spicy chicken tenders in the base of an air fryer.

action shot of homemade hot honey sauce being drizzled over spicy air fryer chicken tenders on a white plate.

Tips & Variations

Adjust the heat level: Taste the sauce before coating the chicken tenders and if you want it a little spicier, feel free to add more hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
Remove the tendon: If using chicken tenderloins, remove the white tendon first - slip it through the tines of a fork and pull on it with a paper towel, and it should slide right off.
Don't overcook: For the juiciest tenders, pull them as soon as they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cook them in a single layer and avoid stacking so the heat circulates evenly around each tender.
Sauce storage: The hot honey sauce can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept in a container in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestion: Ranch dressing tends to be a family favorite, while honey mustard is great for those who love sweeter flavors.
Finish with flaked salt: I always finish with some flaked sea salt for a final touch of flavor.

pile of air fryer chicken tenders drizzled in homemade hot honey sauce and sprinkled with parsley, served with a side of sliced pickles in a small ramekin.

Storage & Reheating

The tenders can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. The tenders will remain much crispier without the sauce, so it's best not to drizzle the hot honey over them if you anticipate having leftovers. The chicken can be reheated in an air fryer until crispy again, or baked at 350 degrees for approximately ten minutes, or until heated through.

FAQs

How spicy is the hot honey?

It has a gentle kick - the heat builds slowly rather than hitting you all at once. Cut back on the cayenne if you prefer things mild, or add a little more (along with extra hot sauce) if you like it fiery.

What's the best way to reheat leftover hot honey chicken?

Reheat them in the air fryer until crisp again, or bake at 350°F for about ten minutes, until heated through. To keep the tenders as crisp as possible, wait and drizzle them with the hot honey after warming if they were kept without the sauce.

Can I adjust the hot honey sauce to my liking?

Yes, without a doubt. Before coating the chicken tenders, taste the sauce and feel free to add extra spicy sauce or cayenne pepper if you like it a bit hotter.

Why shouldn't I boil the hot honey sauce?

Warm it gently over medium-low heat instead. Boiling honey makes the sauce thicken too much and turn sticky once it cools, and it dulls the honey's flavor.

How long do the chicken tenders take to cook through?

Air fry them for 8 to 9 minutes at 390°F, turning halfway through. If you're not sure they're done, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest tender - it should read 165°F.

If you tried this Honey Hot Chicken Tenders or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!

Honey Hot Chicken Tenders