Did you know that you can make crispy chicken tenders in the air fryer? These homemade air fryer chicken tenders are simply dredged and crisp up beautifully without having to be deep fried in oil.
Great for adults and kids
The motivation for making chicken tenders at home came to me as we were eating at a restaurant one night. I realized chicken tenders are the primary sources of protein for my picky six-year-old. It was one of the only things on the menu she would order when we were out. When we were home and needed a quick meal in between school and soccer practice, frozen chicken tenders were the usual go-to meal.
I wondered at that moment whether it would be possible to make a healthier version that my daughter would eat. I decided that an air fryer chicken tenders recipe would be worth trying.
Deep fried versus air fried chicken tenders
I was skeptical as to whether I would be able to achieve the same crispiness of deep fried chicken tenders by making them in the air fryer. To my great surprise and joy, I found that the answer was absol-freakin-lutely.
How to remove tendon from chicken tenderloins
First things first, I like to take a few minutes to remove the tendon from my raw chicken tenderloins. You can usually see the little white tip sticking out of the tendon. While it’s not absolutely necessary to remove it, I like to take an extra few minutes as the tendon can be quite tough.
Leave it to TikTok to teach me how to easily remove the tendon by using a fork. You want to use a paper towel or napkin to grip the little white part of the tendon that is sticking out of the tenderloin. Trust me, I’ve tried gripping it with just my hands and it is just too slippery.
Now that you have gripped the tendon tip with one hand, take a fork with your other hand and insert the tendon between the tines of the fork. Then simply pull out the tendon and it should easily separate from the rest of the meat.
How to make flavorful chicken tenders
My secret to flavorful chicken tenders is to season at every step of the cooking process. You want to season your raw chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper on both sides.
The egg batter is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, then the final layer (the panko breading) is also seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley.
How to get crispy chicken tenders
Space the chicken tenders in air fryer about an inch apart in a single layer to ensure they get nice and crisp. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook several batches.
How to freeze homemade chicken tenders
The great thing about homemade chicken tenders is that they freeze very well. Simply place the raw breaded chicken tenders in a large plate or baking tray. Be sure they are spaced apart so the tenders don’t stick together. Freeze for about 2-3 hours and then store in a freezer bag.
How to cook frozen chicken tenders
You can cook the frozen raw chicken tenders in the air fryer. I like to place them in the air fryer while it preheats, then cook them at 390 degrees fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Be sure to flip the chicken tenders halfway through.
More air fryer recipes
Check out more easy air fryer recipes:
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken tenderloins
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- cooking oil spray
- salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- *Optional: Remove tendon from tenderloins by grabbing the white tip with a paper towel and inserting between the tines of the fork and pulling along the tenderloin. The tendon should easily separate from the rest of the meat. You can choose to skip this step but note the tendon tends to have a tough texture.
- Lay tenderloins out on a baking sheet or other flat surface and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, add 4 eggs and whisk. Season egg mixture with salt and pepper.
- In another large bowl or plate, add panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, dried parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until well combined.
- Add the tenderloins into the egg mixture and mix with one hand until each piece of chicken is well-coated with the egg mixture.
- Take one tenderloin and add to panko mixture. Using your other dry hand, coat the tenderloin with the panko mixture one at a time and place the breaded tenderloins back on the flat surface. Continue until all the tenderloins have been coated with the panko mixture.
- Spray breaded tenderloins generously with cooking oil on both sides.
- Place the breaded tenderloins in a single layer in the air fryer, being sure they are spaced at least ½ inches apart. Do not crowd the tray or the tenderloins will steam and not get crispy. You may need to do multiple batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Bake at 400 degrees Farenheit for 10 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Be sure to flip the tenderloins halfway through the cooking process.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
