Air Fried Chicken Cutlets with Hot Honey
Did you just get an air fryer for Christmas and wondering what to make with your new toy?
Are you wanting to make healthier recipes as we kick off the new year?
Or are you just wanting an amazing recipe for (air) fried chicken?
Whatever it is, I’ve got you covered with this easy, 30-minute chicken dinner recipe that’ll leave the whole family begging for seconds!
Hot honey chicken is crispy on the outside thanks to the seasoned panko breadcrumb coating and ultra moist and juicy on the inside.
As soon as the chicken is finished cooking, it’s slathered with homemade hot honey which has a perfectly sweet and spicy flavor that compliments the chicken perfectly.
If you’re unfamiliar with hot honey, it’s exactly what it sounds like — honey with a few additional ingredients that give it a kick of heat. My recipe uses hot sauce, chipotle chili powder, and cayenne pepper for spice and depth of flavor, but you’re welcome to adjust the spice levels to suit your personal tastes.
Using an air fryer for this recipe crisps up the breading on the chicken beautifully without overcooking the meat itself. I used chicken cutlets for this recipe instead of chicken breasts, which also reduces the air frying time significantly.
The next time you’re in need of a quick chicken dinner but can’t be bothered to preheat the oven, make this hot honey air fried chicken. It’s easy to make and is so much more interesting than the usual baked chicken breasts!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken
This recipe has two components, the breaded air fried chicken cutlets and the homemade hot honey.
For the chicken:
Chicken cutlets or thin-sliced chicken breasts (see notes below) Panko breadcrumbs All-purpose flour Smoked paprika Dried parsley Salt Freshly ground black pepper Onion powder Garlic powder Eggs Hot sauce Salt and pepper, to taste
For the hot honey:
Honey Unsalted butter Hot sauce Onion powder Garlic powder Chipotle chili powder Cayenne pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions. Check these others out, the first 3 are also made in an air fryer! – Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breasts – Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken – Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets – Cheeze-It Chicken Tenders – Crispy Parmesan Ranch Roasted Potato Bites – Parmesan Fish Nuggets – Easy Shrimp Cakes
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken in an Air Fryer
Hot honey chicken is a cinch to make in an air fryer with only about 15 minutes prep time and 10 minutes total time needed for air frying. Follow this easy steps: Chicken cutlets are perfect for air frying because they cook more quickly than whole or intact chicken breasts which can sometimes be very large or thick. The thinner size keeps the finished chicken incredibly moist and tender. If you can’t find chicken cutlets at your local grocery store or only have chicken breasts on hand, no problem! Simply slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to create two thinner filets from the one larger piece of chicken. From there, you’ll likely need to pound the freshly made chicken cutlets until they’re about ¼-inch thick. You can also use ‘chicken tenders’ which are just as they sound – the size of an average chicken tender. This cut of chicken tends to be a bit thicker but because of their overall small size you don’t need to pound them. Full details provided in the recipe card at the end of this post! Step 1: Using a meat tenderizer or mallet, pound the chicken cutlets until they’re ¼ inch thick all over. It’s possible depending on your chicken, you may not need to, but if in doubt, give it a quick pound. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the panko, flour, and spices. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and hot sauce. These are your two dredging stations. Step 3: Dredge the pounded chicken cutlets, one at a time, through the egg mixture and then the panko mixture. Step 4: Place the dredged chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer (you might have to cook them in batches!) and spray with cooking spray. Be sure to spray each side with cooking spray before air frying. This makes for extra crispy chicken! Step 5: Air fry the chicken cutlets at 400ºF for 5 minutes, then flip over and spray with additional cooking spray before air frying for another 5 minutes. Chicken is done when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F. Repeat the process until you’ve air fried all the chicken. Step 6: Meanwhile, stir together the hot honey ingredients and microwave for 1 minute. You can also do it on the stove in a small saucepan, simmer lightly for 1 minute over medium heat, and you’re all set. When the chicken is removed from the air fryer, drizzle the hot honey sauce over top.
How Long to Cook Chicken Cutlets in an Air Fryer?
The breaded chicken cutlets need to air fry at 400ºF for about 5 minutes on each side. Make sure NOT to crowd the pieces or layer the chicken. Of course, it will depend on exactly how thick your chicken is, and how large the pieces are. Always cook chicken until you’re sure it’s done, no matter how much time the clock says has passed.
How Can You Tell If Air Fried Chicken Is Done?
If you don’t know how to guess or judge when chicken is done, I suggest investing in a digital cooking thermometer. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Tips for Air Frying Hot Honey Chicken
Chicken cutlets substitute: If you don’t have chicken cutlets or thin-sliced chicken breasts on hand, you can make them yourself by cutting chicken breasts in half horizontally to create thinner filets. You can also substitute chicken tenders for the chicken cutlets. Both work equally well in this recipe, so use what you have. Pounding the chicken: Chicken cutlets are already much thinner than chicken breasts, but you still need to pound them to an even thickness of about ¼ inch. Pounding the chicken helps it cook quickly and evenly in the air fryer, so don’t skip this step! To pound the chicken cutlets, you can place them between two pieces of plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or a heavy pan to pound them to an even thickness. Or you can just plop them on a cutting board and give them a few whacks, which is all I do! Hot sauce: You can use any bottled hot sauce you like, but I prefer sriracha for this recipe. It’s spicy but not too spicy, and it pairs well with the honey. Adjusting the spice level: The combination of hot sauce, chipotle chili powder, and cayenne pepper add a nice kick to the air fryer hot honey chicken. If you don’t like very spicy foods, add HALF the amount of hot sauce, chili powder, and cayenne pepper that the recipe calls for, taste the hot honey, and then add more as desired. Air fryer size and model: I used a Cosori air fryer that I’ve had for a few years. I like that the basket is larger than other models. However, even with an “extra large” basket, you can really only cook two chicken cutlets at a time. Extra cutlets will have to be cooked as a second round. Air fry in batches, if needed: Jumping off of the tip I shared above, if your air fryer is not large enough to fit all four chicken cutlets without crowding them you MUST air fry them in batches. If you crowd the air fryer, the chicken cutlets will cook unevenly and will steam instead of fry, which will result in soggy chicken.
Storage and Reheat Instructions
The air fryer hot honey chicken is best enjoyed immediately while it’s warm and crispy. However, leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Note that leftovers will not have that same lovely, crispy-crunchy texture that freshly fried chicken does. Nothing fried is ever quite the same after it sits or is refrigerated. You can pop the leftover chicken into your AF to try to re-crisp it, although I don’t because I don’t want to clean my air fryer basket again and just nuke it. Not crispy, but still very tasty. The hot honey will last easily 1 to 2 weeks stored airtight in the fridge. I recommend storing the hot honey and air fried chicken separately because the honey will make the breading soggy.
What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken
Serve the air fried hot honey chicken with vegetables or a green salad for freshness and your favorite fried chicken side dishes!
Classic Mashed Potatoes Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Broccoli House Salad Macaroni Salad Coleslaw Potato Salad with Bacon Baked Beans Thick Cut Seasoned Fries Green Beans with Bacon Apple Pear Salad
More Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breasts — Learn how to make perfectly “fried” chicken in your air fryer! Deliciously crispy on the outside while staying juicy, tender, and moist on the interior. This is the BEST guiltless fried chicken! EASY, ready in 15 minutes, and perfect for busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table FAST! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken — Coated in a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, this “fried” chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy, tender, and moist inside! It’s EASY, ready in 15 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights, and a healthier way to indulge in fried chicken! Oven-baking instructions also provided. Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets — These EASY air fryer nuggets are coated in a mixture of Panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan, which makes them EXTRA flavorful and SO CRISPY! Dip them in this 30-second homemade honey mustard sauce for a guaranteed family FAVORITE!! Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos — All the flavor of the chicken taquitos in your favorite Mexican restaurant, but healthier because these are air fried! Crispy and crunchy on the outside with a perfectly spicy chicken, cheese, and cream cheese filling mixture that just melts in your mouth! EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and the whole family will want seconds! Oven baking instructions are also provided. Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce — You don’t have to fry chicken wings to get them extra crispy, juicy, and finger-licking good thanks to the tangy buffalo sauce! FAST, EASY, and everyone LOVES these air fried crispy chicken wings! Oven baking instructions also provided. Firecracker Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs — Lightly crisped on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, these homemade meatballs are air fried and then coated in a sweet-with-tangy-heat firecracker sauce with the perfect amount of heat! Serve these as an appetizer or as the main course. They’re perfect for parties and events, too! Oven baking instructions provided as well as for how to make them using frozen meatballs.
