Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and ready in less than 20 minutes. These homemade chicken tenders are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and taste even better than restaurant chicken strips.
The air fryer gives them that golden crispy coating without deep frying, making this an easy family-tested dinner for busy weeknights, lunches, or freezer meals.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
We make these chicken tenders all the time because they are quick, affordable, and easy to keep in the freezer for busy nights. The crispy coating tastes just like restaurant chicken tenders, but they are made right at home with simple ingredients.
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Crispy without deep frying
- Kid-friendly and picky eater approved
- Easy freezer meal option
- Budget-friendly homemade dinner
- Great for dipping sauces and easy sides
I love that my family can enjoy crispy chicken tenders without tons of oil or work. It is easy enough for busy school nights and so tasty. We love using the air fryer, but this crock pot chicken tenders recipe is another easy recipe.
They are also perfect for this chicken and waffles recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken Tenderloins – Chicken tenders cook quickly and stay juicy. You can also slice boneless skinless chicken breasts into thin strips.
- Spices – Garlic Powder and Salt and Pepper are added to enhance flavor.
- Panko Bread Crumbs – Panko breadcrumbs create the crispiest coating in the air fryer.
- Large Eggs – The eggs help the breading stick to the chicken for a crunchy coating.
- Cooking Spray – Spraying the breading lightly helps the coating turn golden brown and crispy. We like using olive oil or avocado oil.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Follow along with my simple instructions to learn how you can make chicken tenders using your air fryer in your home kitchen.
Step 1 – Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. No worries if your air fryer does not have a preheat option. Just set the air fryer to 390 degrees and let it run for 5 minutes.
Step 2 – Put the flour in a bowl. Then beat the eggs and put them in a separate shallow bowl. Get out a 3rd bowl and combine the bread crumbs and seasoning together.
Step 3 – Coat the chicken tenders in the flour mixture. Then dip the chicken in the eggs and then coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture.
Step 4 – Once the chicken has been coated, spray it with cooking spray and get ready to air fry.
Step 5 – Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Make sure it is in a single layer and does not overlap. Allow the chicken to cook for 8 minutes and then flip the chicken and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure to spray the other side with cooking spray so it does not stick.
Step 6 – Follow the same process until all the chicken is cooked. You might have to work in batches depending on how many chicken tenders your air fryer basket can hold.
Step 7 – Serve with favorite type of dipping sauce or over salad and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Preheat the air fryer – This helps the chicken tenders cook evenly and gives the coating a crispier texture.
- Use panko breadcrumbs – Panko gives the tenders the best crispy coating compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Do not overcrowd the basket – Place the chicken tenders in a single layer so the air can circulate around each piece.
- Spray both sides with cooking spray – This helps the breading turn golden brown and crispy without deep frying.
- Flip halfway through cooking – Turning the chicken helps both sides cook evenly.
- Check the internal temperature – Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches 165°F. Cooking time will vary.
- Cook in batches if needed – Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the tenders in batches.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use chicken breasts – Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips if you do not have chicken tenderloins.
- Make them spicy – Add cayenne pepper, paprika, buffalo sauce or hot sauce to the egg mixture for extra heat.
- Change the seasoning – Add onion powder, Italian seasoning, ranch seasoning, or seasoned salt to change the flavor.
- Make them gluten free – Use almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of flour and panko breadcrumbs.
- Use regular breadcrumbs – Panko makes them crispier, but regular breadcrumbs will still work.
- Make chicken nuggets – Cut the chicken into smaller pieces for homemade air fryer chicken nuggets.
Storage & Freezer Instructions
- Fridge – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat – Reheat the chicken tenders in the air fryer at 350°F for 5–10 minutes, or until heated through. This helps keep the coating crispy.
- Freezer – Bread the chicken tenders as directed, then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze for 2–3 hours, or until solid. Transfer the frozen tenders to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
- Cook from Frozen – Place the frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook as directed, adding a few extra minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F.
FAQs
Yes, these are great to make ahead. Bread the chicken tenders, flash freeze them, and cook them straight from frozen when you need a quick dinner.
Yes. Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts into strips, then coat and cook them the same way as chicken tenderloins.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket, spray both sides with cooking spray, and flip the tenders halfway through cooking.
Yes. Bake them at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is fully cooked.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
These Chicken Tenders are one of our favorite easy dinners because they are crispy, flavorful, and so simple to make at home. They are perfect for busy weeknights, lunches, or freezer meals and always a hit with the whole family. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating to let us know how it turned out!
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Tenders
- ½ cup Flour
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 3 Large Eggs
- Cooking Spray
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. If your air fryer does not have a preheat setting, run it at 390°F for 5 minutes.
- Place the flour in one shallow bowl and beat the eggs in a second shallow bowl.
- In a third shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Coat each chicken tender in the flour, dip it into the eggs, and then coat it with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Spray the breaded chicken tenders with cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 390°F for 8 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and spray the other side with cooking spray. Cook for another 7–8 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
