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Air fryer chicken tender recipe with dipping sauces.
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5 from 8 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

The best Air Fryer Chicken Tenders you'll ever have! Our recipe is easy, can be made in just 30 minutes and produces crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, flavorful chicken tenders!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3
Calories: 434kcal
Author: Teri & Jenny

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 10 chicken tenders
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (further ground in food processor)
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives plus more for garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • In a shallow dish combine flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika and onion powder.
  • In another shallow dish combine panko and chives.
  • Dredge chicken tenders in flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
  • Next, dip tenders in beaten eggs. Shake off any excess.
  • Finally dredge tenders in panko mixture, pressing the tenders into the panko mixture on both sides to ensure the tenders are fully covered in breadcrumbs.
  • Generously spray both sides of each tender with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat air fryer to 375˚F and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
  • Add 4 to 5 chicken tenders to air fryer (depending on air fryer basket size) and air fry for 5 minutes. Flip each tender and continue to air fry for an additional 5 minutes or until tenders have cooked through and are golden brown on the outside.
  • Remove tenders from air fryer basket and repeat step 9 with remaining chicken tenders.
  • Serve chicken tenders with dipping sauces of choice.

Video

Notes

**Recipe makes 10 chicken tenders (each serving is 3 1/3 tenders)**
Freezing and Heating Instructions
To Freeze: Follow recipe and dredge all chicken tenders until fully coated in panko breadcrumb mixture. Line each tender onto a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure the tenders are not touching one another. Place baking sheet into the freezer until tenders have frozen completely. Transfer frozen tenders to a resealable freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Freeze tenders for up to 3 months.
To Heat from Frozen: Preheat air fryer to 375˚F. Spray air fryer basket and frozen tenders with cooking spray. Place frozen tenders directly into basket and air-fry for 7 minutes. Flip each tender and continue to air-fry for 6 minutes.
Tips and Tricks for Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
  • Use panko breadcrumbs instead of Italian breadcrumbs for maximum crunch!
  • Lightly grind panko breadcrumbs in a food processor, so the granules are a finer. This will give you a better mouthfeel and a lighter crispy texture overall.
  • Firmly press the panko into the tenders while dredging. This will help the coating stick to the tenders, instead of sliding off once cooked.
  • Spray coated tenders AND air fryer basket with cooking spray to ensure the tenders brown and don't stick to the basket.
  • Flip tenders halfway through air-frying cooking time to ensure even doneness throughout each tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 216mg | Sodium: 384mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 4mg