Chicken Popcorn with Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 chicken tenderloins (You can also use 1/2 chicken breast; minced and trimmed of excess fat or connective tissue.)
• 0.5 cooked potato (Use approximately half a medium potato, already cooked and peeled.)
• salt (To taste.)
• spices of your choice (Use your favorite spices.)
• 1 egg (Beaten.)
• 0.5 cup breadcrumbs (You can also use crushed cereal; the amount is approximate, depending on the size of the balls.)
• 1 tsp olive oil for spraying (Sprayed over the popcorn chicken before cooking; the amount may vary depending on the sprayer.)
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce (Optional; the recipe calls for adding a splash.)
• 1 tsp olive oil for the sauce (A splash; adjust to taste.)
• 1 tbsp chives (Chopped, for serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cook the potato until tender, let it cool enough to handle, and peel it if necessary. Also prepare the beaten egg, breadcrumbs or crushed cereal, and an air fryer basket.

2. 2

   Place the chicken tenderloins, half the cooked potato, salt, and your favorite spices in a food processor. Process until you have a uniform mixture with no large pieces, but avoid over-processing it until it becomes completely liquid.

3. 3

   Take portions of the mixture and shape them into evenly sized balls. Keeping them a similar size helps them cook at the same time.

4. 4

   Dip each ball into the beaten egg, coating it completely. Let the excess egg drip off.

5. 5

   Coat the egg-covered balls with breadcrumbs or crushed cereal. Press gently so the coating adheres and forms a crisp layer.

6. 6

   Place the popcorn chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overcrowding. Lightly spray the surface with olive oil.

7. 7

   Cook in the air fryer at 180 °C for 7 minutes. Carefully turn each piece so it browns on both sides.

8. 8

   Continue cooking at 180 °C for another 7 minutes, until the coating is golden and crisp and the chicken is fully cooked in the center. If you have a thermometer, check that it reaches 74 °C.

9. 9

   While the popcorn chicken cooks, place the mustard, optional Sriracha sauce, and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well until combined and smooth.

10. 10

    When the popcorn chicken comes out of the air fryer, serve it immediately with the honey mustard sauce. Finish with chopped chives.

Notes

The original recipe allows the tenderloins to be replaced with half a chicken breast and the breadcrumbs with crushed cereal. The amount of oil for spraying and Sriracha can be adjusted to taste.

Nutrition per serving

• snack
• chicken
• air fryer
• crispy
• easy
• high-protein
• honey mustard sauce