Today’s recipe for halogen oven chicken fingers with miso honey mustard sauce is all thanks to the gift of a halogen oven Vonshef, a UK-based brand that’s manufacturing kitchen appliances and home decor to make simpler and prettier for at-home chefs. Scroll through to read all about how a halogen oven works and to win one for yourself (UK residents only)!
What’s a Halogen Oven?
I recently had the opportunity to play around with Vonshef’s halogen oven, which is a surprisingly affordable small kitchen appliance that uses a halogen bulb and a motorized fan to cook foods quickly and without the use of oil (or at least less of it) by moving hot air around in a self-contained oven. It’s easy to see how your foods are cooking because the entire oven is basically a giant, see-through glass bowl. I regularly fry chicken fingers for my kids, so the promise of a cleaner, healthier way to make chicken fingers is a very attractive proposition indeed.
I use panko to make chicken fingers from scratch, mainly because I’ve found that I can use panko without having to make a messy egg-and-milk batter first. I just firmly press the panko directly onto my sliced raw chicken breasts and cook away. Less mess = less time in the kitchen = more time for wine drinking. Wins all around!
As for using the halogen oven to “fry” the chicken fingers, I found that you can’t go completely oil-free if you’re making chicken fingers from scratch, or your panko won’t brown at all. I sprayed my chicken fingers with olive oil spray right before cranking up the halogen oven, and then did it again halfway through cooking. You’ll still use a lot less oil than usual — when I pan-fry my chicken fingers, I usually use around 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup of sunflower oil, as opposed to a few tablespoons of olive oil in this case for the same crunchy results.
Oh, Miso Honey Mustard
For dipping, my kids are not unlike all kids everywhere — usually, they just reach for ketchup. But I love this savory-sweet miso honey mustard dipping sauce, which adds a zest and tang to your crunchy chicken fingers. Plus, whipping up this sauce takes only a few minutes, and it just might make someone at the dinner table say, “You did this for me? How fancy!” (Let’s be clear: my kids wouldn’t say that, but one can dream, right?)
Halogen Oven Chicken Fingers and Miso Honey Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless (skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs (available at most grocery stores)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or olive oil spray
- 2 tablespoons miso
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- about a 1/4 cold water
- optional: sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F (approximately 180 degrees Celsius).
- Slice the chicken breasts into “fingers” about 3 inches x 1 inches wide. Pour the panko into a shallow dish and mix with the salt and pepper.
- Put the chicken fingers in the dish with the panko, pressing each finger firmly to coat the chicken fingers with the panko mixture.
- Using the wire racks provided with your air fryer, arrange the chicken fingers so that they’re not touching. Spray or brush the chicken fingers with olive oil and place inside the air fryer. Set the time for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, lift the cover of the air fryer off and using tongs, flip each chicken finger over. Spray the chicken fingers again, then close the air fryer and fry for another 10 minutes until cooked through.
- While the chicken fingers are cooking, make the miso honey mustard sauce. Whisk together the miso, mustard, honey, rice vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl, then pour in the cold water a little at a time until the sauce reaches a consistency that you’re happy with. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Remove the chicken fingers when done and serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
Do you want your own halogen oven from Vonshef? See the giveaway below!
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For more family-friendly recipes from my blog, check these out:
- Saturday Caprese Salad
- Three Ingredient Miso Butternut Squash Soup
- Spanish Tortilla with Spinach
- Thai Fish with Basil Sauce
- Five Can’t Miss Instant Pot Recipes