Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer
These Chicken Tenders fried in Air Fryer are a hit with the whole family! They’re crispy on the outside, tender inside, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Just like our Breaded Crispy Air Fryer Okra, they’re bursting with flavor, super easy to whip up, and ready in just 20 minutes.
And the best part? They’re way healthier than the deep-fried version!
Air fryers are fantastic for whipping up healthier versions of your favorite deep-fried dishes.
These air fryer chicken tenders come out perfectly crispy and golden, just like the ones you get at restaurants, but with far better health benefits.
Please continue scrolling down to find the recipe card below, which contains the complete list of ingredients with measurements, detailed recipe instructions, additional notes, and nutritional information.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken tenders – Also known as chicken tenderloins, they are the strips of white meat found on either side of the breastbone, beneath the breast meat. If you can’t find tenderloins at your local shops, you can easily make your own. Simply slice a boneless, skinless chicken breast lengthwise into 1 ½ cm (½”) thick strips.
- Plain flour – It is also called all-purpose flour. It helps the eggs stick better to chicken pieces.
- Breadcrumbs – I prefer panko breadcrumbs for breading as they are made from white bread without the crust and have a larger grain than regular bread crumbs. Their texture is light and airy and they will crisp to a perfect golden brown in the air fryer. However, you can use any breadcrumbs you have in hand.
- Eggs – They help the breadcrumbs stick to chicken tenders.
- Seasoning – I like to keep things simple with a mix of salt, paprika, and pepper, but you can spice it up with your favorite seasonings. Feel free to add the seasoning to the flour mix or distribute it between the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.
How to Cook Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer?
Important Note
Before you start cooking, note that times may differ among air fryers. I develop my recipes using a Cosori 6.8 air fryer. If you’re using a different air fryer, view my recipes as a general guide and tweak the cooking time—add a bit more or cook slightly less as needed.
Making Chicken Tenders in an air fryer is a straightforward process.
To achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Pat dry the chicken pieces with paper towels.
Prepare your workstation by seasoning the flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and place them next to the flour dish.
Set the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish beside the eggs.
Coat each chicken strip in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour.
Dip the flour-coated chicken strip into the whisked eggs.
Next, coat it in breadcrumbs and set it aside on a plate.
Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated.
Ensure each chicken piece is fully coated at each step.
Quick Tip!
You might need to wash your hands once or twice during the process.
Once coated, lightly drizzle or spray oil over the chicken strips.
Arrange the chicken strips in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap.
Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 8 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These air fryer chicken tenderloins are deliciously crispy outside and tender inside.
- They’re easy to make from scratch using fresh or frozen chicken tenders.
- Ready in just 20 minutes, they’re a perfect weekday meal the whole family will enjoy.
- Healthier than frying or baking in the oven, you only need a light spray of oil for that crispy, golden finish.
- You can make a big batch and freeze them for later too.
- If you don’t have chicken tenders, thin strips from chicken breasts work just as well!
How Long To Cook Air Fryer Chicken Tenders?
The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer model.
Arrange the chicken strips in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap.
Cook them at 200°C (400°F) for 8 minutes, then flip them over and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
To ensure they’re fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
Expert Tips From the Chef
- Arrange the chicken fingers in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overlapping. If necessary, cook them in batches.
- To keep the first batch warm while cooking the rest, place them on a baking sheet and transfer them to a preheated 100°C (200°F) oven.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer and desired crispiness. Adjust as needed. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) when checked with a meat thermometer.
- If you can’t find chicken tenderloins, slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts lengthwise into 1 ½ cm (½”) thick strips.
- To add more flavor, consider adding extra spices and herbs to the flour or eggs. Make sure each piece of chicken is fully coated at every step.
- During the breading process, you may need to pause to wash your hands once or twice.
- Remember to flip the chicken tenderloins halfway through cooking to ensure even browning on both sides.
What Goes Well with Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins?
You can serve these air-fried chicken tenderloins with many different side dishes:
Breaded Crispy Air Fryer Okra, Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries, Mini Tater Tots in Air Fryer, Crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Easy Asparagus in Air Fryer.
You can also use these crispy fried Air Fryer Chicken Tenders as a delicious addition to a chicken sandwich, salad, or wrap.
Recipe FAQs
Place (cooked or uncooked) air fryer chicken tenders in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them until solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or resealable freezer bags, and keep them frozen for up to 3 months.
Certainly! Just place the frozen chicken tenders in your air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overlapping. Then, cook them in the air fryer at 190°C (370°F) for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) when a meat thermometer is inserted.
You can use your air fryer to cook a variety of foods, including raw chicken, as long as the air fryer basket is clean before you start cooking.
Remember to wash the air fryer basket immediately after each use to maintain cleanliness. Cooking with an air fryer is not only quick and easy but also ensures consistent results every time you cook raw chicken.
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Please give us a five-star rating and leave a comment below.
I hope you enjoy the process of preparing these Crispy Fried Air Fryer Chicken Tenders just as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit!
Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 650 g chicken tenders (12 pieces)
- 75 g plain white flour / all-purpose flour
- 2 small eggs
- 40 g breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken pieces with paper towels.
- Prepare your workstation by seasoning the flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and place them next to the flour dish.
- Set the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish beside the eggs.
- Coat each chicken strip in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour.
- Dip the flour-coated chicken strip into the whisked eggs.
- Next, coat it in breadcrumbs and set it aside on a plate. Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated.
- Ensure each chicken piece is fully coated at each step. You might need to wash your hands once or twice during the process.
- Once coated, lightly drizzle or spray oil over the chicken strips.
- Arrange the chicken strips in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap.
- Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 8 minutes.
Notes
- Arrange the chicken fingers in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overlapping. If necessary, cook them in batches.
- To keep the first batch warm while cooking the rest, place them on a baking sheet and transfer them to a preheated 100°C (200°F) oven.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer and desired crispiness. Adjust as needed. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F) when checked with a meat thermometer.
- If you can’t find chicken tenderloins, slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts lengthwise into 1 ½ cm (½”) thick strips.
- To add more flavor, consider adding extra spices and herbs to the flour or eggs. Make sure each piece of chicken is fully coated at every step.
- During the breading process, you may need to pause to wash your hands once or twice.
- Remember to flip the chicken tenderloins halfway through cooking to ensure even browning on both sides.