Simple Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe

How to Air Fry Chicken Tenders

If you just got an air fryer, one of the first recipes you may have searched for is an air fryer chicken tenders recipe, and we don’t blame you! Chicken tenders are super family-friendly and totally a comfort food!

It is EASY to make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders!

You’re definitely going to want to save this recipe once you try it. These breaded air fryer chicken tenders are nice and crispy on the outside, with a juicy tender inside. Plus, they’re super simple to make!

Ingredients

These simple air fryer chicken tenders are just that – simple. The ingredients for the breading may look like a lot, but you’ll most likely already have most of the stuff needed on hand. If you don’t have any buttermilk, feel free to use a substitute like this DIY buttermilk:

• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1/2 cup

The reason the buttermilk is important here is that not only does it help the breading stick to the chicken better, but it also tenderizes the meat and makes it juicier.

Preparing the Chicken Tenderloins for Breading

The longest part of this recipe is also the easiest – place your chicken tenders in a resealable Ziploc bag with your buttermilk and allow it to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Be sure to squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can, and make sure to seal it tight. You don’t want any leakage!

Other than this 30-minute process, these air fryer tenders only take about 15-20 minutes to make! 

Breading the Chicken Tenders

Once your chicken tenders are thoroughly marinated, remove them from the bag with a fork, shake off the excess buttermilk, and dunk them into your breaded mixture. Dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated on all sides.

Frying the Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer

Your tenderloins are almost ready! To cook them, spray the bottom of the air fryer pan, put the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket, lightly spray the tenders with olive oil spray, then air fry at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

At about the 5-minute mark, pause the air fryer and flip the tenders over. If you want to, you can spray with olive oil again and finish cooking until the tenders are golden brown and crispy. You want the internal temperature to be 175 degrees (I love to use an instant read thermometer for this purpose. This is the one I own).

Final Thoughts + Serving Tips

I love being able to make air-fried chicken tenders. They’re a healthier alternative to deep-fried tenders, they work great as a side dish, main or appetizer, and they’re super flavorful and simple to make. The entire family enjoys them!

Come to think of it, these air fryer tenders would be the perfect recipe for a super bowl party! (Check out these other finger food recipes for more party ideas.)

To add even more flavor to your tenders, serve them up with your favorite dipping sauce. We really like this Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce Copycat or a homemade Chick-Fil-A Sauce. You can also serve these tenders alongside a green salad or a veggie tray to make it a more well-rounded meal!

More Air Fryer Recipes:

• 20 Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
• 15 of the Best Air Fryer Hamburger Recipes
• 15 Easy Air Fryer Recipes That Will Make You Want An Air Fryer

Be sure to check out our air fryer buying guide as well if you don’t already have one!

Simple Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe

These air fried chicken tenders are covered in a crispy, flavorful breading, and each bite is juicy and delicious.

4.57 / 5 ( 30 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 47 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs chicken tenders approx 12 tenders - thawed
• ½ cup buttermilk or use this substitution: 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1/2 cup
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp celery seed
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp cayenne
• avocado or olive oil spray

Instructions

• Place the chicken tenders in a ziplock bag and pour the buttermilk into the bag. Squeeze the air out and seal the bag. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
• In a shallow bowl combine the panko bread crumbs, flour, baking powder, and spices.
• Remove the chicken strips from the buttermilk with a fork, shake off excess buttermilk, and dredge in the breadcrumb mixture to coat on all sides.
• Spray the bottom of the air fryer pan.
• Put the chicken fingers in the air fryer basket, lightly spray with your favorite oil spray, then air fry at 375˚F/191˚C for 10-12 minutes until internal temperature reads 165˚F/74˚C and the chicken tenders are golden brown and crispy. You'll want to flip the chicken at about half way through cooking time.
• If making your chicken tenders in batches, simply keep cooked chicken warm in a 160˚F/77˚C oven. You can re-crisp in the airfryer for a minute, if needed.
• Serve with your favorite dip!

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g