Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are crispy and golden on the outside, tender and juicy inside, with a perfectly seasoned crunchy coating. The air fryer gives you all the crunch of deep fried tenders with a fraction of the oil and none of the greasy mess. They’re perfect for dipping, slicing over salads, or adding to a lunchbox. Made with pantry staples, they come together in about 20 minutes and serve 4.
Chicken tenders are the great equalizer. Kids love them, adults pretend they’re ordering them for the kids, and everyone is happy. The only downside is the deep frying, the oil, the splatter, the pot you have to deal with afterward.
Or driving to the restaurant, the large bill to feed the family, or getting out of your pajamas which is my biggest hurdle.
Using you air fryer, you can get the same crispy, crunchy, golden coating with a juicy inside but without all the mess and expense.
Honestly, they come out even better than the oven version, with a seasoned coating that crunches when you bite into it. They’re ready in about 20 minutes, and they’re endlessly useful, dip them, slice them over a salad, add to a lunchbox, or pile them next to some French Fries and call it dinner.
They beat the frozen bag and the drive thru without contest, and you control exactly what goes in the coating. If you love an easy air fryer recipe, I have a few more you’ll love.
More Air Fryer Favorites
- Air Fryer Zucchini Chips – crispy cheesy veggie chips in minutes
- Air Fryer Fried Pickles – tangy crunchy pickles with no deep frying
- Air Fryer Blooming Onion – crispy shareable pull apart party starter
- Air Fryer Coconut Chicken Tenders – sweet crunchy coconut coated chicken tenders
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Tenders – You can take a boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into strips or buy chicken tenderloins at the store. Clean and trim them, and remove the “white string” that is tough.
Flour – Use all purpose flour or your favorite flour alternative as the base of the coating.
Panko and Breadcrumbs – I use a combination of the two! The panko flakes are bigger and add that extra crunch you want while the regular breadsrumbs fill in any gaps the panko might have missed.
Eggs – Use large, room temperature eggs. Beat them and use as the middle step of the dredge process so the coating sticks to the chicken.
Seasonings – You can use any of your favorite seasonings but I tend to stick with the simple salt, pepper, and garlic powders. Feel free to use an All Purpose Seasoning or Chicken Seasoning to add even more flavor.
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How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F. Clean and trim the chicken tenders if needed.
- Set up three shallow bowls. In one, mix the breadcrumbs, panko, and seasonings. In another, the beaten eggs. In the third, the flour.
- Dip each tender in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, coating evenly on all sides.
- Set aside on a plate. Repeat with 3 to 4 more tenders, working in batches.
- Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While that batch cooks, coat the next. Repeat until all are cooked, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer to keep them crispy.
Reheat: The air fryer at 375°F for a few minutes crisps them right back up. Skip the microwave unless you want tough and soggy tenders, and no one wants that.
Freezer: Cool the cooked tenders, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen at 400°F for about 10 minutes. Great for an afternoon snack!
Make Ahead: Bread the tenders ahead and refrigerate, then air fry when you’re ready to serve. I wouldn’t do this more than 2 days in advance because the coating can get soggy.
Variations
Extra Crunchy: Use all panko and skip the regular breadcrumbs.
Spicy: Add cayenne or hot sauce to the egg wash, or toss the finished tenders in Buffalo Sauce.
Different Seasoning: Mix my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, Italian Seasoning, or Cajun Seasoning into the coating.
Parmesan: Add grated Parmesan to the breadcrumb mix for a savory, cheesy crust.
Gluten Free: Use almond flour and gluten free panko, and the recipe works exactly the same.
Dipping Sauces for Chicken Tenders
- Chick Fil A Sauce – sweet honey mustard copycat dipping sauce
- Bang Bang Sauce – creamy sweet chili and sriracha sauce
- Spicy Mayo – quick creamy sauce with a kick
- Alabama White Sauce – tangy mayo based BBQ dipping sauce
How Long to Cook Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
Chicken tenders cook fast in the air fryer since they’re lean and thin, usually 8 to 10 minutes at 370°F, flipping isn’t even necessary if you leave room in the basket.
The main issue is size, since thicker tenders take closer to 10 minutes and smaller ones closer to 8. The only real rule is to check the internal temperature, which should hit 165°F.
A quick poke with an instant read thermometer takes the guesswork out and keeps them juicy instead of overcooked.
If you’re making a big batch, you should cook them in batches so the basket isn’t crowded, which means the total time stretches to 15 to 30 minutes depending on how many you’re making.
Crowding is the enemy of crispy, so it’s worth the extra batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 8 to 10 minutes at 370°F, depending on size. Always check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F, which is the real test for doneness.
Yes, preheat it for about 5 minutes. It helps the coating crisp up and keeps the tenders from sticking to the basket.
Absolutely. Raw chicken cooks great in the air fryer. I use it to make shredded chicken for salads all the time. Just check the internal temperature reaches 165°F before serving.
Yes. Coat them the same way, then bake at 425°F on a parchment lined sheet for 8 to 10 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F inside. I love this method when I need to make a bunch of them quickly.
Don’t crowd the basket, cook them in a single layer, and give a light spray of oil to help them brown. Air circulation is what makes them crispy so give it plenty of room.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes so the tenders don’t stick and crisp up better.
- Don’t stack the tenders. Cook in a single layer so hot air circulates all around.
- Use all panko for the crunchiest coating.
- Lightly spray the tenders with oil to help them brown, even though the air fryer doesn’t need it.
- Check the internal temperature (165°F) rather than guessing, so they stay juicy.
This Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe makes them crispy, juicy, and better than the drive thru in about 20 minutes. Make a batch with your favorite dipping sauce and watch them disappear!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Panko crumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370 degrees F.
- Clean and trim chicken if necessary.
- Add bread crumbs and seasonings to shallow bowl or plate, mix together with a fork.
- Add beaten eggs to shallow bowl or plate.
- Add flour to shallow bowl or plate.
- Dip one chicken tender in flour, then in eggs, and then in breadcrumbs mixture. Coating evenly on all sides.
- Set aside on plate or tray.
- Repeat with 3-4 more tenders.
- Cook chicken for 8-10 minutes, depending on size of tenders or until golden and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- While chicken is cooking, prepare more chicken with coating.
- Repeat cooking until all chicken is cooked.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
{Originally published 06/29/20 – photos and recipe notes updated 09/05/26 to improve reader experience}
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