Crispy Panko Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Golden air-fried chicken tenders coated in seasoned panko and finished with a sweet and spicy honey drizzle.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Dredging Station

04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tbsp water

→ Coating

07 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
08 - 1 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp onion powder
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil spray

→ Hot Honey

12 - ¼ cup honey
13 - 1–2 tsp hot sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot or Sriracha), to taste
14 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
02 - Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towels, then season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Place flour in the first shallow bowl. Whisk eggs and water together in the second bowl. In the third bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder.
04 - Coat each chicken tender first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg mixture, and finally press into the seasoned panko until fully coated.
05 - Lightly spray or brush both sides of the breaded tenders with olive oil or neutral oil.
06 - Arrange tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 7–8 minutes, flip, then cook an additional 6–7 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - While tenders cook, combine honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat, stirring occasionally until combined—do not boil.
08 - Remove tenders from air fryer, immediately drizzle with hot honey, and serve extra sauce on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The air fryer does all the heavy lifting, giving you crispy chicken without the mess of deep frying or the guilt afterward.
  • That spicy-sweet honey drizzle is addictive enough to make people ask for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
  • It's one of those dishes that feels indulgent but actually keeps the fat count reasonable, so you can enjoy it without overthinking.
02 -
  • The panko will brown faster than the chicken cooks through, so if your coating looks perfect at 10 minutes but a fork-poke feels rubbery, you've hit the biggest trap with this recipe.
  • Hot honey that boils loses its silky texture and turns grainy; low and slow is the only way, even though it takes patience.
  • Flipping is non-negotiable—tenders that stay on one side will have a pale, slightly chewy bottom no matter what your air fryer claims it can do.
03 -
  • Pat your chicken completely dry before seasoning; any moisture lingering on the surface will steam instead of crisp.
  • If your panko starts to brown too quickly while the chicken is still cooking, lower the temperature by 10 degrees and add a minute or two to the cooking time.
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