Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

These air fryer chicken tenders are crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and ready in about 20 minutes. They’re made with fresh chicken tenderloins, a simple seasoned breadcrumb coating, and just enough oil to help them turn golden without deep frying.

How Long to Cook Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer

In the UK and Ireland, chicken tenders may be called chicken goujons. Cook them the same way, adjusting the time only if the pieces are smaller or thinner.

My Tested Method for Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

I make these air fryer chicken tenders the same way I make my crispy air fryer chicken breast, but they cook even faster because chicken tenderloins are thinner.

After testing this method, I found that you don’t need buttermilk, egg, or deep frying to get flavorful, juicy chicken with a golden coating. A little olive or avocado oil is enough to help the seasoned breadcrumbs stick, and the air fryer does the rest, cooking the tenders quickly until they’re crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.

Tips for Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

For the crispiest coating, press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken so they stick well. Once the tenders are in the air fryer basket, spray any dry-looking spots lightly with oil to help the coating turn golden.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between each piece. If the basket is crowded, the tenders will steam instead of crisp, so cook in batches if needed. Flip halfway through, and cook until the thickest piece reaches 165°F/74°C.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders

For store-bought frozen breaded chicken tenders, cook them straight from frozen at 400°F/200°C for 13–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until hot and crispy.

If you have raw frozen chicken tenderloins, thaw them first before breading so the oil and breadcrumbs stick properly. To cook raw tenderloins from frozen without breading, air fry at 380°F/190°C for 14–18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C.

Dipping Sauces

Try my homemade Cane’s sauce recipe, it tastes just like the restaurant version!

You can also make a quick sweet chili mayo by mixing mayonnaise with sweet chili sauce and a little sriracha until smooth and creamy.

Serve with

Homemade French Fries

Rutabaga Fries

Air Fryer Corn on The Cob

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

4.92 from 12 votes

(Click stars to rate!)

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Author: Diana

• Pin It

Print Rate Recipe

These air fryer chicken tenders are crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle, and ready in about 20 minutes. They are made with fresh chicken tenderloins, a simple seasoned breadcrumb coating, and just enough oil to help them turn golden without deep frying.

4 servings

These air fryer chicken tenders are crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle, and ready in about 20 minutes. They are made with fresh chicken tenderloins, a simple seasoned breadcrumb coating, and just enough oil to help them turn golden without deep frying.

Equipment

• Air fryer
• medium mixing bowl
• Shallow bowl
• Tongs
• Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1½ pounds (680 g) chicken tenderloins called mini chicken fillets in the UK
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup (25 g) plain dried breadcrumbs
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon American style chili powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions 

• Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
• Place the chicken tenderloins in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until evenly coated.
• In a shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, sweet paprika, chili powder, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and fine sea salt.
• Press each chicken tenderloin into the seasoned breadcrumbs. Turn to coat both sides, then shake off the excess.
  
• Arrange the chicken tenderloins in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if needed.
  
• Air fry for 9 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the coating is golden and the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C).
  
• Let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. The chicken needs space around each piece so the coating can crisp.
• Chicken tenderloins vary in size, so start checking at 9 minutes. The safest way to check doneness is with an instant read thermometer.
• For extra crisp chicken tenders, lightly spray the coated chicken with oil before air frying.
• Use plain dried breadcrumbs, not fresh breadcrumbs, for the best texture in the air fryer.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 163kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 423mg, Potassium: 418mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 220IU, Vitamin C: 1.3mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.5mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen