Crispy Panko Chicken Tenders (Printable)

Golden air-fried chicken tenders coated with seasoned panko and drizzled with spicy honey for a crispy, flavorful bite.

# What You 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 and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with whisked eggs and water, and one with combined panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder.
04 - Dredge each tender in flour, shaking off excess; dip into egg mixture; then coat thoroughly with seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
05 - Lightly spray or brush both sides of breaded tenders with olive oil or neutral oil spray.
06 - Place tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
07 - Air-fry for 7 to 8 minutes, flip tenders, and air-fry an additional 6 to 7 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Meanwhile, combine honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat, stirring often without boiling, until well blended.
09 - Remove tenders from air fryer, immediately drizzle with warm hot honey, and serve with extra on the side if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The panko gets impossibly crispy without a drop of deep frying oil, and your kitchen stays clean.
  • Hot honey strikes that sweet-spicy note that keeps you reaching for just one more tender (and then another).
  • Fifteen minutes of actual cooking time means weeknight dinner without the stress.
02 -
  • Pat your chicken completely dry before seasoning—moisture is the enemy of crispy breading, and it's the one mistake that will make you second-guess the whole recipe.
  • Don't skip the oil coating on the breaded tenders; in an air fryer, oil is what creates crispness, and without it you'll get a dry, pale coating instead of the shattery crust you're after.
  • Use panko, not regular breadcrumbs—regular breadcrumbs compress and become dense, while panko stays light and creates those satisfying shards when you bite into the chicken.
03 -
  • If your panko starts to brown too quickly, lower your air fryer temperature by 10°C and add a minute or two to cooking time—every air fryer runs slightly different, so the first batch is your calibration round.
  • Double-coating (dip back into egg and panko a second time) creates an even more dramatic, shattery crust that's worth the extra thirty seconds of effort.
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