Hot Honey Buffalo Chicken Tenders

These hot honey buffalo chicken tenders are the ultimate game day recipe! They’re gluten free, made in an air fryer, so crispy and coated in a hot honey buffalo sauce that will have everyone reaching for seconds. Plus, they’re ready in about 30 minutes!

‘Tis the season for all things buffalo and these hot honey buffalo chicken tenders have been on repeat in my kitchen! They’re so easy to make, of course gluten free (but can be regular if you aren’t GF) and have the perfect balance of spicy and sweet.

They’re the perfect addition to your game day or Super bowl spread and I love serving them alongside my gluten free chicken wings, gluten free pretzel bites and cashew queso.

Tips before we get cooking!

• I like to just buy pre-sliced chicken tenderloins, but if you can’t find that just buy regular chicken breasts and slice into strips before cooking. You may want to pound them a bit if they are particularly thick.
• You can easily make these dairy free by using dairy free milk (just make sure it is plain and unsweetened), dairy free butter and dairy free parmesan cheese.

How to make buffalo chicken tenders

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk.

In a second shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, paprika and garlic powder. Whisk well to combine.

Dunk each strip of chicken into the egg mixture then into the breadcrumb mixture. You can repeat this process a few times to create a thicker coating.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place each chicken strip down, keeping a bit of space between each for even cooking. Air fry for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway, until the internal temperature reaches 165 Fahrenheit.

Meanwhile, add the buffalo sauce, butter and honey to a small pot and melt over low heat. Once the honey and butter have melted, remove from the heat.

Let the tenders cool for a few minutes on a wire rack, then coat in the sauce. Serve with diced green onion and ranch for dipping. Enjoy and try my gluten free chicken nuggets next!

Oven instructions

To make in the oven instead of the air fryer, follow all steps as usual, but bake at 425 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack on top.

Add the prepared tenders to the top of the wire rack -this ensures they cook really evenly and don’t get soggy on the bottom- and bake for 12-16 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Flip halfway to ensure the chicken tenders cook evenly, then once cool for about 5 minutes, coat in the sauce and serve!

How to store

These buffalo chicken tenders are definitely best served fresh, but they will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I suggest reheating them in the oven or air fryer, but keep in mind they may not be as crispy as when they are first baked/air fried.

Can I make them without breading?

Yes! However, the breadcrumbs in the breading give these gluten free chicken tenders a very traditional texture, so any modifications will change things a bit.

If you want a low carb version, you can use almond flour as the “breading.” The texture will be a little bit different, but they will have a very delicious flavor. We aren’t using a flour coating before the egg mixture because I don’t find it to be necessary so this reduces some of the carbs.

More air fryer recipes you’ll love!

• Air Fryer Honey Garlic Tofu
• Gluten Free Turkey Burgers
• Parmesan Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

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