These Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders take just minutes to make! Coated with crispy Panko and Parmesan, you’ll love these simple flavor packed, no fuss tenders.
What an added bonus that air fryer chicken tenders are a much healthier option than fried tenders, but they don’t skimp on flavor! They’re juicy and delicious!
Air Fried Chicken Tenders
I love making quick fix recipes and these air fried chicken tenders are just that! You can make restaurant style chicken tenders in just minutes with your air fryer. With just a handful of basic pantry ingredients, you’ll be on your way to having these crispy chicken tenders for your next meal.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Baked Potatoes recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need To Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Let’s take a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make these crispy chicken tenders. See bottom of post’s recipe card for full instructions.
- chicken breast tenderloins– In the meat section of the grocery store, near the chicken breast, you’ll see chicken breast tenderloins.
- salt and pepper– You will use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season the chicken tenderloins before coating.
- eggs– For consistency, use large eggs for my cooking and baking recipes.
- hot sauce– I use a little hot sauce in the egg mixture for a little kick.
- Panko– Panko can be found near the other bread crumbs at the grocery store. Panko gives a nice crisp crust.
- parmesan cheese– Use grated Parmesan cheese for the recipe.
- avocado oil in spray can– Find avocado oil near the other cooking sprays at the grocery store. Olive oil works great too.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Prepare Chicken. Remove chicken tenderloins from packaging and place onto a large plate. Season both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
Prepare Dredging Bowls For Chicken. Crack eggs into medium shallow bowl, add hot sauce and beat until well combined. Place Panko and Parmesan into a medium shallow bowl, stirring to combine.
Dip Into Egg Mixture. Using a fork and spoon for the Panko bowl, dip both sides of chicken tenders into egg mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl.
Coat With Panko. Take dipped chicken tender into the Panko bowl pressing into both sides. Use a spoon to help spoon mixture onto both sides. Remove any excess coating then transfer to a plate to get ready to cook chicken. I sprayed each chicken tender lightly with avacado oil.
How Long To Cook Chicken Tenders In Air Fryer?
Get Chicken Into Air Fryer. Arrange chicken tenders into the basket of your air fryer. I fit about 5 chicken tenders without crowding them. Cook chicken in batches of 5-6 tenders depending on the size of your air fryer.
How Long To Cook. Heat Air fryer to 400 degrees F. and set timer for 5 minutes for the first side. Once timer goes off, flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Crispy should be golden and crisp. Remove chicken tenders with long tongs and place onto serving plate.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Make sure your air fryer basket is clean before hand. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to cook something and I’ve had to pause and clean out my basket. Learn from my mistakes and make sure it’s ready to go before starting.
- Know that when it’s time to dip chicken tenders into egg mixture then into Panko, it’s a messy process. Don’t worry about the mess, it’s part of the process. You’ll probably have to wash your hands every batch as your fingers tend to get the coating on them.
- Have a variety of dipping sauces set out for your guests. Part of the fun is dipping your chicken tenders in the sauces!
- Check the dollar store for little serving baskets like the restaurants have. I have a whole stack I like to line with parchment paper and serve my chicken tenders in.
How To Serve Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Serve your homemade chicken tenders as an appetizer or main dish, they work great as both. I like to have an array of dipping sauces available for dipping such as ketchup, ranch, mustard, barbecue sauce….the list goes on and on. Lots of fun choices. Serve with a side salad, pasta, potatoes or even roasted vegetables.
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken tenders, cooled completely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, re-heat in the air fryer at 400 degrees F. for 5 minutes until hot.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze chicken tenders, let them cool so they’re no longer hot and place them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw completely before re-heating.
More Chicken Tender Recipes You’ll Love!
- Parmesan Ranch Baked Chicken Tenders
- Crispy Parmesan Sriracha Chicken Tenders
- Almond Parmsan Crusted Chicken Tenders
- Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders
More Air Fryer Recipes!
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- air fryer
- long tongs or fork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Cholula
- 1 cup Panko
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Remove chicken tenderloins from package and transfer to a large plate. Season both sides of chicken evenly with sprinkles of kosher salt and pepper.
- Crack eggs into a medium sized shallow bowl, add hot sauce and beat until well combined.
- Place Panko and parmesan cheese into another medium sized shallow bowl, stirring to combine.
- With a fork, dip chicken tenderloins, in batches into egg mixture then both sides pressed into Panko crumbs. Remove any excess and place onto a separate plate for coated chicken pieces.
- Working in batches, cook 5-6 tenders at a time in the basket of the air fryer. You want them placed in a single layer, not too crowded.
- Heat air fryer to 400 degrees F. and cook first side for 5 minutes. When timer goes off, carefully flip chicken and cook for another 5-6 minutes until chicken is cooked through and crust is golden.
- Remove chicken tenders with long tongs and place onto a serving plate or basket. Serve with an array of dipping sauces such as ketchup, ranch dressing, mustard, and barbecue sauce to name a few.
Nutrition
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