Description
Honey lemon chicken tenders bring zesty, crispy goodness right to your dinner table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Grab some chicken, whip up a tangy marinade, and get ready to make a meal your family will devour in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Wet Ingredients and Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Mix 1 cup flour with 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish for your first coating station.
- Create a second station with 1 beaten large egg and a third station with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs for your breading process.
- Dredge each chicken tender completely in the seasoned flour, ensuring total coverage of the meat.
- Transfer the flour-coated tender into the beaten egg, letting excess drip off before moving to the breadcrumb station.
- Press breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken, creating a complete crispy exterior that will seal in moisture.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet at medium heat (375°F) until butter becomes golden and bubbling.
- Place breaded tenders into the hot skillet, cooking 3-4 minutes per side until they reach a deep golden brown color.
- Whisk ¼ cup honey with 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl to create your glaze while chicken cooks.
- Check chicken internal temperature reaches 165°F to ensure safe cooking.
- Immediately drizzle honey-lemon glaze over hot tenders, coating each piece generously before serving.
Notes
- Pat chicken tenders dry before coating to help breading stick better and create a crispier exterior.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F for safe cooking without overdrying.
- For extra crunch, add panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes to the regular breadcrumb coating.
- Gluten-free option: Replace wheat flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend, and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg