If you haven't quite mastered the crispy, oven-baked chicken tender – today is the day. These are super simple, absolutely delicious, and guaranteed crispy! The super crunchy, golden exterior is achieved by using organic cornflakes! Anytime I've attempted baking a chicken tender (as opposed to frying), panko or flour dredged coatings simply don't deliver.

Freshly grated parmesan (or pecorino) cheese is added to the ground cornflakes, along with a few spices, to make a super flavorful coating for these pasture raised chicken tenders. The hot honey dipping sauce takes this dish over the top!

If you don't have tenders, slice up some chicken breasts (you may need to halve them horizontally, or pound thinner), and use those for an equally tasty result!

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken –

• 1 lb. 1915 Farm Chicken Tenders or 1 lb. 1915 Farm Chicken Breast, sliced into strips
• 6 cups cornflakes (we love ‘HEB Organics’ brand cornflakes)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (pecorino is excellent too)
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce (we recommend Crystal or Frank’s Red Hot)
• Avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
• Flaky salt for finishing (Maldon works great here)

 For the Hot Honey –

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2-3 Tbsp hot sauce (use same as what you used above for the chicken)
• 1-3 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Kosher salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (crumbling it up then smoothing it out allows it to lay flat).

In a food processor, combine the cornflakes, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until mixture turns into fine crumbs. (This can also be achieved with a gallon-sized bag and a rolling pin). Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate. 

In a separate shallow bowl, crack the eggs, and add hot sauce. Whisk well to combine. Add the chicken tenders, plus a few pinches of kosher salt. Toss to combine.

One piece at a time, remove chicken from egg mixture, and coat with the crumbs, covering fully, flipping and pressing the crumbs into the chicken until the entire surface is coated.

Place chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with avocado oil spray, olive oil spray, or simply drizzle with oil. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

In the meantime, make the hot honey. In a small sauce pot over low heat, combine the honey, hot sauce, cayenne, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder, plus a pinch of salt. Whisk to dissolve seasonings for a few minutes and remove from heat.

To serve, drizzle hot honey over the chicken, with extra hot honey in a small bowl for dipping. Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’d like to share your delicious dish on Instagram, don’t forget to tag us @1915_Farm

P.S. If you love our pasture raised whole chickens – consider subscribing to the new Grassroots Meat Club (ships free in TX, reduced in other states). Each box includes a variety of hand-selected grassfed and pasture raised meats, such as chicken breasts, chicken tenders, leg quarters, wings, thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken, ground beef, kabobs, stew meat, stir fry, cutlets, London broil (top round), beef roasts, beef osso buco, short ribs, various sausages, pork roasts, pork chops, bacon, ground pork, fajita meat, country style ribs, spare ribs, and bacon!

Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest