Chicken Fingers with Honey Drizzle

Chicken Fingers with Honey Drizzle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup honey
• 1 Fresno red chile, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into tender-size pieces OR purchased boneless chicken tenders
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp.  ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together honey and red chile slices. Heat over low heat for 30 minutes. Whisk in the smoked paprika and keep the honey warm while preparing the chicken.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place an oven-safe rack on it, spray the rack with nonstick spray and set aside.
3. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and set aside.
4. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and olive oil. Mix until the crumbs are coated evenly with olive oil; this will help the chicken become golden.
5. Dip the chicken tender pieces one by one into the eggs, and then dredge in the crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs into each piece. Place the dredged chicken pieces onto the rack, making sure there are 2 inches in between each piece. Sprinkle any remaining crumb mixture onto the chicken.
6. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes, and then flip the tenders and continue to bake until the chicken is crispy and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more.
7. Drizzle the warm hot honey over the chicken tenders before serving.