Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Absolutely addictive, these amazing Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are homemade, healthy, high in protein, and always hit the spot!
You’ll become obsessed with these tantalizing Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders! They’re outstanding, super easy, half the price of store-bought frozen strips, and a mouthwatering recipe masterpiece! You only need chicken and pantry staples like flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasoning for the crispy, crunchy, scrumptious coating. Simple!
Air-Frying is Mess-Free and Stress-Free!
Tasty and tender with an irresistible, shattering crunch, Chicken Tenders are always a favorite! They’re perfect for after-school snacks, easy weeknight dinners, picnics in the park—just about any event!
But what makes this the BEST chicken tender recipe ever is its easy, grease-free, air-fried option!
These chicken strips cook clean and crispy in 10 minutes without oily deep frying or pan-fried splattered mess! Just add your favorite dipping sauce (or a buffet of sauces!), like honey mustard, ranch, sweet chili, or even just ketchup! You’re going to LOVE these!
Other Recipes to Serve with Breaded Chicken Tenders
- Make these easy and excellent Air Fryer Green Bean Fries with the same basic ingredients as the chicken tenders – they go great together in the air fryer and on the dinner plate!
- Nothing complements chicken more than Mom’s Mashed Potatoes Recipe! So warm, creamy and comforting!
Ingredients
Chicken: Uncooked chicken tenders are perfect for this air-fryer recipe. You could also use chicken breasts – pound them to an even thickness and cut them into strips.
Wet Batter: Whisked eggs are all you need to make the breadcrumb coating stick. If desired, you could also add a little buttermilk.
Crumb Coating: We’re using flour to “dry” the raw chicken, then a combination of regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs for that beautiful breading!
Seasoning: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper give the breadcrumb crust a terrific taste.
Garnish: A sprinkle of minced parsley adds some gorgeous green and a touch of flavor to the finished tenders.
How to Make Air-Fried Chicken Tenders
STEP ONE: Build the breading station using three shallow bowls. In bowl #1, add the flour, pepper, and half the salt. In bowl #2, add the eggs and beat well. In bowl #3, whisk together both types of breadcrumbs along with the seasonings: smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and the remaining salt.
STEP TWO: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. One at a time, dredge each chicken tender in the flour, coating it all over; submerge in the egg wash; then coat completely with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to help the crumbs stick. As you finish breading each piece, add it to a clean plate.
STEP THREE: Once all the chicken is breaded, add some of the tenders to the air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. You will need to cook in batches. Spray the chicken with oil and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F.
STEP FOUR: After 5 minutes, flip the chicken over, spray with oil again, and cook an additional 5 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You can keep the cooked tenders warm on a baking sheet in a low-temp oven while you cook the rest of the chicken.
STEP FIVE: Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle the tenders with parsley and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or side dishes. SO SO YUMMY!
Tips for Success
- Make these tenders gluten-free by using gluten-free flour instead!
- For even cooking, remember to preheat the air fryer before adding the chicken. Don’t use aluminum foil in your air fryer either, as it prevents the air from circulating, leaving you with soggy strips.
- Shake or flip the tenders halfway through cooking to achieve an all-over crispiness. Don’t overcrowd the tenders in the air fryer; cook in batches or layers, if necessary.
- Never spray cooking spray directly onto your air fryer basket – it can damage the cooking surface.
How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer?
This simple question is more complicated than it seems! With much research, whether raw, precooked, frozen, breaded, or “naked,” chicken tenders should be cooked for 8 to 16 minutes in a preheated air fryer from 340°F to 400°F. Higher temperatures give you a crispier coating, while lower temperatures keep the meat juicier. The bottom line is to experiment to find what works best for you, and always use a meat thermometer to ensure the strips reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
How Do You Get Breading to Stick to Raw Chicken?
A simple, 3-step process is all you need to get the batter coating to adhere to the chicken. This is true whether frying, baking or air-frying. The steps are: 1) Pat the chicken dry, then coat it with flour. 2) Dip it in an egg wash (usually just beaten eggs or eggs with milk or buttermilk). 3) Dredge the tenders with more flour or seasoned breadcrumbs through the coating. Please give it a spritz with cooking spray to help it crisp up before adding it to the oven or air fryer.
Other Easy, Awesome Air Fryer Recipes!
- Air Fryer Biscuit Pizzas
- Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli
- Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Air Fryer Cheddar & Sausage Balls
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 18 chicken tenders (about 1.5 pounds)
- Avocado oil spray
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Grab 3 shallow bowls and set up a dredge station. To the first bowl, add the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. To the second bowl, add the eggs and beat. To the third bowl, add the panko, 1 teaspoon of salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder, and whisk to combine.
- Dip one chicken tender into the flour to coat, then coat in the egg, and then dip into the bread crumbs until completely covered. Place the tender onto a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Add some of the breaded chicken tenders to the air fryer basket. You'll need to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the basket.
- Spray the chicken with oil and cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip the chicken, spray with oil again, and cook for another 5 minutes. When done, the breading should be golden brown, and the chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- You can keep the cooked chicken warm on a baking sheet in a low-temp oven while you cook the rest of the tenders. Once all the chicken is ready, sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
