Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
I’m on a roll with these air fryer recipes y’all! And since I loved how well my air fryer chicken nuggets turned out, I wanted to try some air fryer chicken tenders next. This time I combined panko and regular breadcrumbs for the perfect texture and I used chicken breast tenderloins to make things super easy. They’re perfectly golden and crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and a lot fresher than frozen chicken tenders! So get your favorite dipping sauce ready, because these air fryer chicken tenders are perfect for a quick & easy lunch or dinner meal.
“We absolutely love this chicken tenders recipe! My whole family enjoys this along with the honey mustard recipe. This is great for families that are on the go and don’t want to eat out. You can freeze these if you don’t eat them all! Thank you!”
TIFFINY
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Cost $8.56 recipe / $2.14 serving
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders (about 1.25lb)* ($6.99)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided ($0.08)
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided ($0.05)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.04)
- 2 large eggs** ($0.33)
- 1/2 cup plain regular breadcrumbs*** ($0.40)
- 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs ($0.32)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.10)
- 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.10)
- 1 tsp onion powder ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- cooking spray
Video
Instructions
-
Place the chicken tenders on a cutting board. Season them on both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Next sprinkle the flour over the chicken tenders and toss to coat evenly.
-
In a shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk them together. In another shallow bowl, add the regular breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Mix the seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
-
Now line up the chicken tenders, beaten eggs, and breadcrumb mixture. Using tongs or your hands, begin to coat the chicken tenders by first dipping them on both sides in the egg mixture, then transfer them to the breadcrumbs. Pat the breadcrumbs into the tenders and coat them evenly on both sides. Set the coated chicken pieces to the side on a clean plate or cutting board.
-
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken tenders in the basket in a single layer, making sure no pieces overlap. About 4 tenders at a time. Spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray. Air fry for 7 minutes then flip the chicken tenders over. Spray the tops of the chicken again with cooking spray and air fry for another 6 minutes until golden brown.
-
Remove the chicken tenders from the air fryer basket and repeat with the second batch of tenders. Let the tenders cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
**You can also use buttermilk instead of eggs like we did for these air fryer chicken nuggets.
***I used a combination of panko breadcrumbs and regular breadcrumbs. The regular breadcrumbs are finer in texture and provide a more even coating. The panko breadcrumbs give the tenders that crispy crunch that I love. Combined they provide the perfect balance.
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Step-by-Step Photos
Place 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders on a cutting board. Season them on both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Next sprinkle 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour over the chicken tenders and toss to coat evenly.
In a shallow bowl, add 2 large eggs and whisk them together. In another shallow bowl, add 1/2 cup regular breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Mix the seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
Now line up the chicken tenders, beaten eggs, and breadcrumb mixture. Using tongs or your hands, begin to coat the chicken tenders by first dipping them on both sides in the egg mixture, then transfer them to the breadcrumbs. Pat the breadcrumbs into the tenders and coat them evenly on both sides. Set the coated chicken pieces to the side on a clean plate or cutting board.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken tenders in the basket in a single layer, making sure no pieces overlap. About 4 tenders at a time. Spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
Air fry for 7 minutes then flip the chicken tenders over. Spray the tops of the chicken again with cooking spray and air fry for another 6 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the chicken tenders from the air fryer basket and repeat with the second batch of tenders.
Let the chicken tenders cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Homemade Dipping Sauces
Wanna make your own dipping sauce for these chicken tenders? Well here are some of our favorites:
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Enjoy these easy chicken tenders with a side of roasted broccoli or a simple Caesar salad. You can also use them in place of the oven-baked tenders in our Caesar slaw with crispy chicken for an even quicker meal! I like them with a side of oven baked steak fries or a simple pasta salad too. And of course you can never go wrong with classic homemade mashed potatoes.
Other Chicken Tender Recipes
- Our classic Chicken Tenders are oven-baked with a Greek yogurt coating and toasted panko for a crisp, golden crust without frying!
- If you like some heat (I know I do!), our Sriracha Chicken Strips marinate in Sriracha, ginger, and garlic before getting coated in panko and baked until crisp.
- These Honey Mustard Chicken Strips use a sweet and tangy honey mustard mixture to flavor the chicken and help the crunchy panko stick, with extra sauce saved for dipping.
- Our Coconut Chicken Strips mix panko with sweetened coconut, then pair the crispy chicken with one of my favorite sauces: sweet chili sauce.
More Air Fryer Recipes
