These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are an absolute delight. Not only are they full of flavor, but they also cook up in minutes! With just a few ingredients and a little bit of butter/oil, you'll have crispy and delicious chicken tenders that the whole family will love. Serve them as is, or dip them in your favorite sauces for extra flavor.
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Crispy Chicken Tenders
- Perfectly golden brown with great flavor. These crispy chicken tenders are life-changing.
- A great way to make a deep fried favorite healthier without sacrificing flavor.
- They don't take long to make them, they can come together in about 30 minutes.
Chicken tenders are a childhood favorite food. However, they aren't the healthiest because they are deep fried. However, with this delicious recipe you can feel better about feeding them to your kids because they are air fried and not full of oil.
Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
Adaptable recipe – make it your own!
- If you are not a fan of the onion flavor, you can swap out the onion juice for a little bit of pickle juice for a nice tang.
- I used panko bread crumbs for a delicious crunch, but you could also use regular breadcrumbs if you want a different texture.
- You can add a little heat if you a fan of spice by mixing in a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to your breadcrumb mixture.
Before you begin: essential tools
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- Air fryer
- Shallow bowl
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Step by step: instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Mix together the toasted bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Beat together egg, salt, pepper, mustard, and onion juice. Then add in the flour to make a paste.
- In a large bowl, place chicken tenders, then pour the egg mixture over and toss until they are well coated.
- Press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken tenders and add them to the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is done and the temperature reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
My notes
- If you want to have super tender meat, you can use a fork and paper to remove the tendon from inside your chicken tenderloin. This will give you amazingly soft and juicy chicken tenders.
- Make sure that you coat the chicken well in the egg and onion mixture, so that your breadcrumbs stick to the outside of the tenderloins.
- While you are adding the bread crumbs to the chicken, press down slightly so that they stick well.
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket when you are loading it. You want to leave a little space so that the hot hair can move freely and cook all sides of the chicken.
- Air fryers are different so until you get used to yours, you better check it 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time ends. Be sure that the chicken internal temperature reaches a minimum of 165°F when measured with a food thermometer.
Your questions answered: FAQs
I've found that the best way to reheat these chicken tenders is to place them in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2 - 3 minutes or until they are warm all the way through. You could also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.
Use an instant read meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees f in the thickest part of the tender.
Yes, I recommend that you preheat the air fryer, this helps give the chicken a nice crispy exterior.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate - Store your leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container or storage bag in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to keep them tightly sealed.
Reheat- Place cooked chicken tenders in a 350F oven or air fryer and reheat for 4-5 minutes until heated all the way through.
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
Air fryer chicken tenderloins are a delicious weeknight dinner idea served with your favorite dipping sauce and french fries. Ketchup, Sriracha Mayo, BBQ sauce, Homemade Harissa, hot sauce, or Bang Bang Sauce. All are great options. Serve with a side of salad, vegetables or bread.
Make ahead
- The best method I recommend is to toast the bread crumbs, place them in a container, then place the chicken in the flour mixture in another container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- You can also bread the chicken tenders and freeze in a single layer until hardened. Place frozen chicken tenders in a container separated by parchment paper for up to 2-3 months.
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Air fryer chicken tenders
Ingredients
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , olive oil or ghee can also be used
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 lb chicken tenders about 13 pieces
Instructions
- In a pan over medium-high heat melt butter then add breadcrumbs and keep stirring constantly until breadcrumbs turn golden, will take about 3-4 minutes.
- Take pan from heat and immediately place breadcrumbs on a cool plat. Mix in salt and black pepper.
- Cut onion into small pieces and chop finely in a mini processor until almost liquid
- Run chopped onion through a fine mesh sieve placed on top of a bowl to catch the onion juice.
- Press with the back of a spoon to get all the juice out.
- Beat egg, salt and pepper into the onion juice.
- Add flour and mix to form a paste like mixture.
- Pour mixture over chicken tenders and toss to cover.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Place chicken tender, one at a time, on the panko breadcrumbs.
- Spoon bread crumbs over the top of the chicken tender and press to make it stick.
- Place breaded chicken on your air fryer basket, spray both sides with some cooking oil and air fry for 5-6 minutes each side or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Notes
Nutrition
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Amber
Delicious. So crispy I couldn’t believe it. Kids and husband loved it.
Julie A
Loved every bite of this. A great and simple healthy meal for the kids.