Chicken Poppers

Ingredients

• 120 ml (½ cup)mayonnaise
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)prepared yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoongarlic powder
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)honey
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 680 g (1½ pounds)skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
• 125 g (1 cup)plain flour
• 30 g (¼ cup)icing sugar
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 1 teaspoonblack pepper
• 1 teaspoonpaprika

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the air fryer

   Preheat the air fryer to 193°C (380°F), if required.

2. 2

   Mix the sauce

   Put all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Refrigerate the sauce until you are ready to serve.

3. 3

   Combine the coating

   Put the flour, icing sugar, salt, paprika and pepper in a large sealable bag. Close it and shake to mix.

4. 4

   Coat the chicken

   Add the chicken pieces to the bag, seal it and shake until each piece is coated.

5. 5

   Air-fry the chicken

   Take the chicken out of the bag and shake off excess flour. Lightly spray the air-fryer basket with cooking spray, arrange the chicken in a single layer and lightly spray the pieces too. Air-fry for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

6. 6

   Serve with sauce

   Serve the chicken hot with the prepared mayonnaise and mustard sauce, or another dipping sauce of your choice.

What are chicken poppers?

Chicken poppers are small, breaded pieces of chicken made for dipping and sharing. This American-style version gets its sweet-and-savoury coating from flour, icing sugar and spices, then cooks in an air fryer rather than being deep-fried.

The quick honey mustard sauce complements the crisp coating. Cutting the chicken into even bite-size pieces helps it cook at a similar rate.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 381 calories, 27g protein, 28g carbs, 17g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while the flour and icing sugar contribute carbohydrates. Mayonnaise is the main source of fat, with smaller amounts from the chicken and coating. Serve a portion with green salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Choosing the chicken

Chicken breast: use skinless, boneless breast or tenders, as specified, and cut them into pieces of a similar size. That makes the batch easier to coat and helps the pieces finish together.

Making the coating

Dry mixture: shaking the flour, icing sugar, salt, paprika and pepper together in a bag distributes the seasoning before the chicken goes in. Seal the bag securely and leave enough room for the pieces to move around.

Even coverage: shake the chicken until each piece is coated, then remove the loose excess flour. A thinner coating is less likely to shed into the basket.

Getting a crisp finish

Single layer: arrange the chicken with space around each piece rather than piling it up. If the basket is crowded, cook in batches so the air can circulate.

Midway shake: shake the basket halfway through the 15-minute cooking time to move the pieces around. Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Mixing the dipping sauce

Creamy base: whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder, vinegar and honey with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate it while the chicken cooks so it is ready when the poppers come out.

Serving ideas

For a snack or party plate, serve the poppers hot with the sauce alongside. They can also be served over a green salad, where the crisp chicken adds a savoury element.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into similarly sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace.
• Shake the excess flour off each piece before placing it in the basket.
• Keep the chicken in a single layer for better air circulation.
• Shake the basket halfway through the 15-minute cooking time.
• Make the sauce first and refrigerate it while the chicken cooks.

Variations

• Add extra paprika: increase the paprika for a more pronounced spice flavour.
• Change the dip: serve with another favourite dipping sauce instead of honey mustard.
• Serve over salad: spoon the hot poppers over a green salad.
• Use chicken tenders: cut tenders into bite-size pieces in place of chicken breast.
• Adjust the sweetness: add honey to the sauce to taste.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven pieces: cut the chicken to a similar size so smaller pieces do not finish much earlier.
• Too much loose flour: shake off the excess before adding the chicken to the basket.
• Crowded basket: arrange the pieces in a single layer and cook in batches if needed.
• Skipping the midway shake: move the pieces around halfway through cooking for more even exposure.
• Serving before checking: make sure the thickest pieces are cooked through before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce separately in covered containers for up to 3–4 days. Reheat the chicken in an air fryer until hot, and stir the sauce before serving.

Frequently asked questions