Absolutely! Here’s a go-to recipe for crispy, juicy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders — made with simple ingredients and no deep frying required. Great for both kids and adults, and ready in under 30 minutes!
🍗 Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Crispy & Easy)
🕒 Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
🧾 Ingredients:
Chicken:
-
1 lb chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
-
½ cup buttermilk (or plain milk + 1 tsp vinegar/lemon juice)
-
½ tsp garlic powder
-
½ tsp paprika
-
Salt & pepper to taste
Breading:
-
¾ cup breadcrumbs (plain or panko for extra crunch)
-
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
-
½ tsp paprika
-
½ tsp onion powder
-
¼ tsp cayenne (optional, for heat)
-
Salt & pepper to taste
-
Olive oil spray or cooking spray
🥄 Instructions:
1. Marinate the chicken:
-
In a bowl, mix chicken tenders with buttermilk, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
-
Let sit for 15–30 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge for extra tenderness).
2. Prepare the breading:
-
In a shallow dish, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan (if using), paprika, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Bread the chicken:
-
Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off.
-
Coat each piece in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to stick.
4. Air fry:
-
Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3–5 minutes.
-
Lightly spray the air fryer basket and chicken tenders with oil.
-
Arrange tenders in a single layer (work in batches if needed).
-
Cook for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C).
5. Serve:
-
Serve hot with dipping sauces like ranch, honey mustard, BBQ, or buffalo sauce.
💡 Tips:
-
Extra crispy: Use panko breadcrumbs or double-dip in egg before breading.
-
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed rice cereal.
-
No buttermilk? Mix ½ cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar — let sit 5 min before using.