If you take a look at the menus of American restaurants and diners you will probably notice that burgers dominate the game quite clearly. Besides the burgers, you will also get a lot of fried stuff like (loaded) fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a lot of fried chicken. I love all of that but to be honest – I am never happy with all the fat that’s included in all this delicious stuff ;P Fortunately, you can prepare most of the deep-fried dishes with less fat in the oven or an Air Fryer. Further down you will find one of my favorite recipes to make in an Air Fryer: Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dip. Crispy chicken that’s just as good as the chicken made in a deep-fryer… just much less fatty ;P
Alright. Let’s not kid ourselves here – even if you prepare chicken tenders in an Air Fryer they’re still not considered »healthy«, right?! If you want to turn chicken into a healthy meal you have to boil it in hot water without any addition of fat… the same way athletes do when they need some additional protein in their diet. For the average consumer, however, preparing chicken without deep-frying is a good step in the right direction. Whether you want to work with the oven or with an Air Fryer, it basically doesn’t matter. Both work with almost no fat. Just use what you got at home ;) However, we really like to use our little Air Fryer because it’s ready to go much faster than our regular oven, and it doesn’t use as much energy to cook your food.
We’ve had several Air Fryers in use in our kitchen over the past few years. The first one was more or less an experiment because at that time we couldn’t judge whether we would really like the technology (or not). Because of that, we got a cheaper device, which, unfortunately, gave up on us pretty quickly. But we had it long enough to like the process of Air Fryers ;P Our second device was from Philips – the predecessor of the Philips Airfryer XXL from the 5000 series*. A great device that was able to do quite a lot in one go because of its size.
I don’t know if it was due to frequent use, or if the coating of the device was not well done, but at some point, this device had to leave our kitchen as well and ended up on a little farm with many other Air Fryers to enjoy living on the countryside with a lot of fresh air… :P
A few months ago we got an Air Fryer from Zwilling*. A smaller device but big enough for two persons tbh. This one works nicely without any problems so far – even though we use it a lot (of course). Have you ever tried falafel from the Air Fryer? So easy and so good!
Anyway. The chicken tenders here can be prepared in an Air Fryer or in an oven. Of course, you could also use a deep-fryer or a pot with hot oil on the stove. Apart from the way you cook the chicken tenders, most recipes for this type of food do not differ much, right?
If you make your chicken tenders in the oven or Air Fryer I recommend using some kind of oil spray – just to make sure the chicken does not get too dry. If you make deep-fried stuff without a deep-fryer you will eventually get a dryer result (D’oh!). The oil spray helps here without adding too much fat to the game. If you simply pour or drizzle oil over the chicken you will not get a nice result. Those chicken tenders would be dripping with oil and that’s not what we want ;P
We normally get the oil spray we use from Spain (we are often there to visit family), but they are also available in many supermarkets or online, of course. There is a product linked in the recipe I also like to use. If you get one make sure it’s suitable for higher temperatures. If you were super clever you’d get a refillable oil spray pump bottle that works without gas. Those can be used over and over again ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
To marinade the chicken:
18 oz. (500g) chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
For the chicken tenders:
about 1 1/2 cups (120-150g) Panko breadcrumbs*
1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan, finely grated
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lemon pepper*
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
some cooking spray (e.g. olive oil spray*)
For the honey mustard sauce:
1/2 cup (120g) mayonnaise
2 tbsp. mustard
1-2 tsp. honey (runny)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika powder
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
some salt
(4 Portionen)
Zum Marinieren des Hähnchens:
500g Hähnchenbrustfilet, in Streifen geschnitten
240ml Buttermilch
2 TL Knoblauchpulver
2 TL Zwiebelpulver
1 1/2 TL Paprikapulver
1 TL Salz
1/2 TL Cayennepfeffer
Für die Chicken Tenders:
etwa 120-150g Panko*
50g Parmesan, fein gerieben
1 TL Knoblauchpulver
1 TL Zitronenpfeffer*
1 TL Salz
100g Mehl (Type 405)
2 Eier (L)
Öl zum Sprühen (z.B. Olivenölspray*)
Für die Honig-Senf-Sauce:
120g Mayonnaise
2 EL Senf
1-2 TL flüssiger Honig
1 TL Apfelessig
1/4 TL Knoblauchpulver
1/4 TL Paprikapulver
1/4 TL Zitronenpfeffer
etwas Salz
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start by marinating the chicken. Clean and dry the chicken breast and cut into (not too thin) strips. Add to a bowl (or freezer bag) you can close. Add the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder, salt, and cayenne pepper and mix everything until well combined and the chicken is completely covered with the marinade. Place in the fridge and let sit for at least 4 hours (up to 24h).
2. When ready to continue, prepare your breading station. In one shallow bowl mix the Panko, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and salt. To a second shallow bowl add the flour and to a third bowl add the eggs and whisk lightly. Prepare a large baking tray with some baking paper and set aside.
3. When your marinated chicken is ready start breading the chicken tenders. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade, one by one, and first coat the pieces with flour, then dip them into the whisked egg and finish them in the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded pieces on the prepared baking sheet and continue until all chicken is used.
4. Heat up your air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Spray the basket of the air fryer with some cooking spray (olive oil). Add the breaded chicken tenders to the basket (they should not touch each other), spray with some more cooking spray, and air-fry them for about 12 minutes – flip them halfway through the cooking time. The chicken tenders should have nicely browned and look crispy. Take out, keep warm, and continue with the remaining chicken tenders.
5. For the honey mustard sauce mix the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, cider vinegar, garlic powder, paprika powder, lemon pepper, and some salt until well combined. If your honey is not very runny you should warm it first in the microwave for a few seconds. Serve the chicken tenders with the sauce and enjoy!
Preparation in the oven:
If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake the chicken tenders in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°F). Place the chicken tenders on a lined baking sheet, spray them with some cooking spray, and bake for about 12-15 minutes – flipping them halfway through.
Preparation in a frying pan:
The chicken tenders can also be one in a large frying pan. Add a good amount of (sunflower) oil to a large frying pan and heat up. Add small batches of the breaded chicken tenders and fry them from both sides until crisp and nicely browned – for about 6-8 minutes.
1. Als Erstes das Hähnchen marinieren. Dafür die Hähnchenbrust säubern, abtrocknen und in (nicht zu dünne) Streifen schneiden. In eine verschließbare Schüssel (oder Gefrierbeutel) geben, dann Buttermilch, Knoblauchpulver, Zwiebelpulver, Paprikapulver, Salz und Cayennepfeffer dazugeben und alles gut vermischen. Die Hähnchenstreifen sollten vollständig mit der Marinade bedeckt ist. In den Kühlschrank stellen und mindestens 4 Stunden (bis zu 24 Stunden) ziehen lassen.
2. Sobald das Hühnchen lange genug gezogen hat, die Panierstation vorbereiten. In einer flachen Schüssel, das Panko mit geriebenem Parmesan, Knoblauchpulver, Zitronenpfeffer und Salz vermischen. In einer zweiten flachen Schüssel das Mehl bereitstellen und in einer dritten Schüssel die Eier leicht verquirlen. Ein großes Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen.
3. Als Erstes die Hähnchenstreifen einzeln im Mehl wenden, dann im verquirlten Ei und zum Schluss im Paniermehl (Panko). Die panierten Streifen auf das Backblech setzen und so lange weitermachen, bis das Hähnchen komplett verarbeitet ist.
4. Den Airfryer auf 180°C (360°F) vorheizen. Den Korb des Airfryers mit etwas Öl einsprühen. Die panierten Hähnchenteile in den Korb legen (sie sollten sich nicht berühren), mit etwas mehr Öl besprühen und dann etwa 12 Minuten frittieren – nach der Hälfte der Zeit einmal wenden. Die Chicken Tenders sollten schön gebräunt und knusprig aussehen. Herausnehmen, warm halten und mit den restlichen Hähnchenteilen fortfahren.
5. Für die Honig-Senf-Sauce, die Mayonnaise mit Senf, Honig, Apfelessig, Knoblauchpulver, Paprikapulver, Zitronenpfeffer und etwas Salz verrühren. Wenn der Honig nicht richtig flüssig ist, sollte man ihn erst einige Sekunden in der Mikrowelle erwärmen. Die Hähnchenbrustfilets mit der Sauce servieren und genießen!
Zubereitung im Backofen:
Wer keine Heißluftfritteuse (Airfryer) hat, kann die Chicken Tenders auch im Ofen backen. Den Ofen dafür auf 230°C (450°F) vorheizen. Die Hähnchenteile auf ein mit Backpapier ausgelegtes Backblech setzen, mit etwas Öl besprühen und dann für etwa 12-15 Minuten backen. Nach der Hälfte der Backzeit einmal umdrehen.
Zubereitung in einer Bratpfanne:
Die Chicken Tenders können ebenfalls in einer Bratpfanne zubereitet werden. Dafür eine gute Menge (Sonnenblumen-) Öl in einer großen Pfanne erhitzen und dann die panierten Hähnchenteile in kleinen Portionen von beiden Seiten anbraten/frittieren, bis sie schön knusprig und gebräunt sind – dauert etwa 6-8 Minuten.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dip (Air Fryer Version)
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:12
- Total Time: 06:00
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: United States
Description
The perfect appetizer/snack for a party or your next movie night: Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dip. Made in an air fryer. The less fatty version of the popular dish.
Ingredients
To marinade the chicken:
18 oz. (500g) chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
For the chicken tenders:
about 1 1/2 cups (120-150g) Panko breadcrumbs*
1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan, finely grated
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lemon pepper*
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
some cooking spray (e.g. olive oil spray*)
For the honey mustard sauce:
1/2 cup (120g) mayonnaise
2 tbsp. mustard
1–2 tsp. honey (runny)
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika powder
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
some salt
Instructions
1. Start by marinating the chicken. Clean and dry the chicken breast and cut into (not too thin) strips. Add to a bowl (or freezer bag) you can close. Add the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder, salt, and cayenne pepper and mix everything until well combined and the chicken is completely covered with the marinade. Place in the fridge and let sit for at least 4 hours (up to 24h).
2. When ready to continue, prepare your breading station. In one shallow bowl mix the Panko, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and salt. To a second shallow bowl add the flour and to a third bowl add the eggs and whisk lightly. Prepare a large baking tray with some baking paper and set aside.
3. When your marinated chicken is ready start breading the chicken tenders. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade, one by one, and first coat the pieces with flour, then dip them into the whisked egg and finish them in the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded pieces on the prepared baking sheet and continue until all chicken is used.
4. Heat up your air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Spray the basket of the air fryer with some cooking spray (olive oil). Add the breaded chicken tenders to the basket (they should not touch each other), spray with some more cooking spray, and air-fry them for about 12 minutes – flip them halfway through the cooking time. The chicken tenders should have nicely browned and look crispy. Take out, keep warm, and continue with the remaining chicken tenders.
5. For the honey mustard sauce mix the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, cider vinegar, garlic powder, paprika powder, lemon pepper, and some salt until well combined. If your honey is not very runny you should warm it first in the microwave for a few seconds. Serve the chicken tenders with the sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Preparation in the oven:
If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake the chicken tenders in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°F). Place the chicken tenders on a lined baking sheet, spray them with some cooking spray and bake for about 12-15 minutes – flipping them halfway through.
Preparation in a frying pan:
The chicken tenders can also be one in a large frying pan. Add a good amount of (sunflower) oil to a large frying pan and heat up. Add small batches of the breaded chicken tenders and fry them from both sides until crisp and nicely browned – for about 6-8 minutes.
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
