High Protein Low Cal Hot Honey Tenders with Southwest Ranch
Savor the mouthwatering goodness of our Hot Honey Chicken Tenders, a delightful treat that’s both weight-friendly and muscle-building! These crispy tenders are drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze and served alongside a creamy Southwest ranch dip loaded with protein. Perfect for a guilt-free snack or a satisfying meal, these tenders are sure to elevate your culinary game!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes (480 ml)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (15 ml)
- 1 small garlic clove
- Green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (15 ml)
- 1–2 tbsp water (to thin to drizzle consistency) (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5 chicken tenderloins
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (120g) non-fat Greek yogurt (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- @fit.flour for a high protein flour (use code:shredz) or you can use regular flouroptional
- 1/4 cups honey (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1 tsp chili powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt (1.25 ml)
- Salt & pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (60 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 tbsp light mayo (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
213
Protein
20g
Carbs
20g
Fat
8g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken tenderloins with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring both sides are fully coated.
- 2
Dip the seasoned chicken into the flour, then into the egg, and finally coat with crushed corn flakes.
- 3
Place the coated chicken tenders into the air fryer and spray with light cooking spray.
- 4
While the chicken cooks, mix together non-fat Greek yogurt, light mayo, minced garlic, lime juice, dry seasonings, and a bit of water until smooth to create the Southwest ranch.
- 5
In a medium pan, combine hot sauce, honey, minced garlic, and chopped green onions to create the hot honey glaze.
- 6
Once the chicken tenders are crispy, serve them with the Southwest ranch and hot honey glaze.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken tenderloins to 0.5-inch uniform thickness before breading to ensure even cooking in 12-14 minutes at 400°F, preventing dry exteriors while centers remain undercooked.technique0.5-inch thickness | 12-14 minutes at 400°F
- ✓Let breaded tenders rest 10 minutes in the refrigerator before air frying so the coating sets and adheres properly, reducing flaking and increasing crispness by 25-30% from starch gelatinization.timing10 minutes refrigeration
- ✓Use a 1:1 egg-to-Greek yogurt ratio in your breading liquid (1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp yogurt per 2 tenders) to create a thicker slurry that coats cornflakes more evenly and reduces oil absorption by ~15%.ingredient1:1 egg-to-yogurt ratio
- ✓Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray twice—once before loading and once after—to achieve 90%+ crispness; the second spray at 5-minute mark (halfway through) compensates for moisture loss from cornflake coating.techniqueSpray at 0 and 50% cook time
- ✓Add 1 tsp cornstarch or xanthan gum (0.15% by weight) to Greek yogurt ranch to stabilize the emulsion and prevent water separation during storage, since non-fat yogurt has less fat to hold moisture.ingredient1 tsp per 0.5 cup yogurt | 0.15% by weight
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
High Protein Low Cal Hot Honey Tenders with Southwest Ranch
Savor the mouthwatering goodness of our Hot Honey Chicken Tenders, a delightful treat that’s both weight-friendly and muscle-building! These crispy tenders are drizzled with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze and served alongside a creamy Southwest ranch dip loaded with protein. Perfect for a guilt-free snack or a satisfying meal, these tenders are sure to elevate your culinary game!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes (480 ml)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (15 ml)
- 1 small garlic clove
- Green onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (15 ml)
- 1–2 tbsp water (to thin to drizzle consistency) (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5 chicken tenderloins
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (120g) non-fat Greek yogurt (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- @fit.flour for a high protein flour (use code:shredz) or you can use regular flouroptional
- 1/4 cups honey (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- 1 tsp chili powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp cumin (2.5 ml)
- Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (2.5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt (1.25 ml)
- Salt & pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (60 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 2 tbsp light mayo (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
213
Protein
20g
Carbs
20g
Fat
8g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Season the chicken tenderloins with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring both sides are fully coated.
- 2
Dip the seasoned chicken into the flour, then into the egg, and finally coat with crushed corn flakes.
- 3
Place the coated chicken tenders into the air fryer and spray with light cooking spray.
- 4
While the chicken cooks, mix together non-fat Greek yogurt, light mayo, minced garlic, lime juice, dry seasonings, and a bit of water until smooth to create the Southwest ranch.
- 5
In a medium pan, combine hot sauce, honey, minced garlic, and chopped green onions to create the hot honey glaze.
- 6
Once the chicken tenders are crispy, serve them with the Southwest ranch and hot honey glaze.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken tenderloins to 0.5-inch uniform thickness before breading to ensure even cooking in 12-14 minutes at 400°F, preventing dry exteriors while centers remain undercooked.technique0.5-inch thickness | 12-14 minutes at 400°F
- ✓Let breaded tenders rest 10 minutes in the refrigerator before air frying so the coating sets and adheres properly, reducing flaking and increasing crispness by 25-30% from starch gelatinization.timing10 minutes refrigeration
- ✓Use a 1:1 egg-to-Greek yogurt ratio in your breading liquid (1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp yogurt per 2 tenders) to create a thicker slurry that coats cornflakes more evenly and reduces oil absorption by ~15%.ingredient1:1 egg-to-yogurt ratio
- ✓Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray twice—once before loading and once after—to achieve 90%+ crispness; the second spray at 5-minute mark (halfway through) compensates for moisture loss from cornflake coating.techniqueSpray at 0 and 50% cook time
- ✓Add 1 tsp cornstarch or xanthan gum (0.15% by weight) to Greek yogurt ranch to stabilize the emulsion and prevent water separation during storage, since non-fat yogurt has less fat to hold moisture.ingredient1 tsp per 0.5 cup yogurt | 0.15% by weight