Crispy air fryer chicken tenders are juicy, flavorful, and so much tastier than store-bought! Simple to prepare, requires very little oil, and devoured by kids.
The air fryer is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken: from air fryer chicken breast to chicken wings, they get nice and crispy, with barely any oil!
These air fryer chicken tenders are super simple to prep and have delicious seasoned breading that gets slightly crispy in the air fryer. It gives them so much flavor- similar to KFC!
Made with simple ingredients that you probably already have lurking in your pantry, these chicken tenders are devoured by my kids, and I love that I know exactly what goes into them!
Reasons you’ll ♡ air fryer chicken tenders
- they are ready in 25 minutes or less
- they are made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
- they taste similar to KFC, but are not too heavy thanks to a light seasoned breading mixture
Don’t forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Choosing the right breading
When testing this recipe, I experimented with three different types of breading:
- all purpose flour ended up quite soggy
- panko breadcrumbs didn’t mix well with the seasonings and ended up tasting bland
- regular breadcrumbs had the best compromise between crispy texture and taste
To regular breadcrumbs, we add a seasoning blend of salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Mix to combine, and you can even make this ahead of time and keep in your pantry (it keeps for up to 6 months- check the expiry date on your breadcrumbs!).
Brush with olive oil
Traditional breaded chicken recipes first dredge the chicken in flour, then egg, then the breading mixture. For this recipe, we skip the flour and egg and simply brush with olive oil. We found this to be sufficient for the breading to stick, and it was significantly easier than dredging in the flour and egg mixture.
Use a high heat
When experimenting with oven-baked chicken breast and chicken thighs, I found a high temperature really helped achieve perfectly juicy chicken. The same is true for air fryer chicken tenders!
Most air fryers max out at 390°F/200°C, and that’s what we use for air fryer chicken tenders.
Flip halfway
My experience has taught me that the air fryer does not cook evenly on the top and bottom, so it’s important to flip the chicken tenders over halfway through to ensure that they cook through evenly.
After cooking for 3 minutes, flip the chicken tenders carefully using tongs, and cook for another 2 minutes. Check using a digital thermometer that they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serve with
Chicken tenders go so well with a dip. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing
- One of these 7 Amazing Hummus Recipes
- Super Speedy Tzatziki
- Healthier Caesar Dressing
Storage + Reheat Tips
If you were wondering if you can make these air fryer chicken tenders ahead, you are in luck! Here’s how to do it:
- fridge– store cooked chicken tenders in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- reheat– heat back up in a 390°F/200°C air fryer for 2-3 minutes (until warmed through)
- freezer– you can bread them ahead and freeze raw: first freeze on a baking sheet 2-3 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months
- thaw– thaw in the fridge overnight…you may want to place the chicken tenders onto a plate to thaw (cover with plastic or beeswax wrap) so you don’t disrupt the breading while removing the thawed chicken tenders from a bag.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- Air Fryer Tofu
- Air Fryer Honey Lime Shrimp
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
- Air Fryer Thai Salmon Patties
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Breading
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat air fryer to 390°F / 200°C.
- Brush chicken tenders lightly with olive oil on both sides.
- Stir together the breading. Using tongs, dredge the chicken tenders in the breading, flipping over and repeating multiple times until chicken tenders are completely coated. Shake off excess breading and place in the air fryer right away.
- Cook in batches of 3-4 at a time, making sure the chicken tenders don't touch each other. Cook for 3 minutes, flip, and 2 minutes on other side before checking that they've reached an internal temperature of 165°F and removing from the air fryer.
To prepare ahead
- These chicken tenders can be cooked 2-3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. To re-heat, place in the air fryer and heat for 2-3 minutes until they are crispy again.
Strandfam4
These were super quick and easy to make! The chicken tasted great, but like another review said it was a little on the salty side. My air fryer recommended cooking them for 10 minutes turning over after 5 and cooking them at 400 si I followed that. They were good and we’ll definitely be making them again!
Denise
Thank you so much for the feedback!
P Jevette
This is the best Air Fryer Chicken Tender Recipe – – EVER! Thank you so much for sharing, I followed the directions as written and had no problem. Great Job!
Denise
Wow, thank you so much for the amazing review! I am so happy you enjoyed. Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
steve shoemaker
Awesome recipe!!!! Came home found your recipe and wow was it good. I’m fairly new at cooking for myself.
Denise
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Steve!
Linda L Blodgett
What if the tenders are uncooked but breaded and frozen…how long should they be air fried?
Denise
Hi Linda! Good question, and I really can’t say for sure. I’d do 390°F and try 10 minutes? I’m totally guessing here. Could be more or could be less. Just keep an eye on them and they’ll be great!
Adrienne
These are so easy to make and my kids LOVE them! Thanks for a great recipe!
Denise
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for your review!
gigglebutt
they were good but a bit too salty for me, next time i will cut the salt in half and add a touch bit more cayenne, but brushing the tenders with oil was fantastic and the batter was nice and crispy
Denise
LOL nice username! Thanks so much for your review 🙂
Andrina Mathew
Hey,
Its yummy. I love it to cook at my home when get time. I read your recipe its too good.
Denise
Thanks so much, Andrina!
Lynn Messner
I made these last night but they took over 10 minutes to cook. Maybe I put too many in the fryer at once. They weren’t touching though.
Denise
Hi Lynn! Thanks for reporting back! I suspect we probably had different sized chicken tenders? There also may be differences between air fryer brands, I’m not totally sure as I’ve only used the Phillips.
Annie
Same here. I used the Perdue pre-sliced fresh strips and they aren’t that big or very thick. My first batch has been cooking for going on 10 minutes now. I keep checking them and flipping them every 3 minutes.
Denise
Hi Ladies, I’m wondering if it can just come down to differences in air fryer models. I use a Philips air fryer, not sure which ones you are using but I would definitely guess there could be differences in cook times between brands.