Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

a hand dipping one breaded chicken tender in tomato sauce.

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders is made in under 30 minutes with almost no oil. It's so easy, crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and bursting with irresistible garlic parmesan flavor. Say goodbye to bland chicken tenders!

Course Air Fryer

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer chicken tenderloins, air fryer chicken tenders, garlic parmesan chicken tenders

Prep Time 7

Cook Time 10

Total Time 17

Servings Servings

Calories 242kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 lb chicken tenderloins patted dry

Wet ingredients

1 egg, large
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 pinches red pepper flakes optional

Dry ingredients

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
2 pinches red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

Pat dry tenderloins with paper towels before using.
Add all wet ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Toss tenderloins and stir until evenly combined.
Add all dry ingredients into another shallow bowl and stir to combine.
Working with one chicken tender at a time, coat both sides with breadcrumbs and place them on a plate.
Tip: Make sure to press bread crumbs well on both sides of the chicken, to help it adhere well and give a nice crunch.
Pre heat air fryer at 400°F. Place half the chicken into the air fryer basket, spacing evenly. Spray a generous coating of non-stick cooking spray. Cook until golden and cooked through for 8 to 10 minutes. You don't need to flip them over.
Tip - I sprayed another coating of cooking spray after about 5 minutes, for a deep golden crunchy exterior.
Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat process with the remaining batch. Serve hot!

Video

Notes

Use chicken breasts - If your grocery store does not sell tenders, then slice a boneless, skinless breast into ⅔-inch strips.

Don’t overcrowd - Avoiding overcrowding is essential for achieving optimal browning and crispiness. Cook in two batches if needed.

Looking for the chicken tenders without breading? This recipe was originally created without breading and has since been replaced with directions for a classic breaded tenders. Original recipe link can be found here and the video here.

Nutrition