These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are perfectly seasoned on the outside and juicy on the inside, making them a quick and deliciously healthy meal!
Air Fryer is the quickest and healthiest method for cooking any food, from ribs, chicken and vegetables, crispy fried chicken, to stuffed peppers, these chicken tenders are sure to become a hit!
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Ingredients For Chicken Tenders In Air Fryer
- Chicken - you can use chicken tenders or tenderloins or simply slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts into large strips.
- Spices - keep it straightforward with smoked paprika, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Olive oil - any neutral-flavored oil can substitute for olive oil.
- Garnish - use parsley or dill and lemon slices for a fresh garnish.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
Cooking time. In the air fryer, thinner chicken tenderloins usually cook in 7-10 minutes, but this varies with thickness. For thicker cuts, don't extend cooking time; instead, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Once it reaches 165°F, the chicken is done.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
1. Prep. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C/375°F and lightly grease the basket.
2. Season the chicken. Mix chicken cuts with oil and seasonings in a bowl.
3. Arrange the Chicken in Your Air Fryer. Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
4. Air Fry at 375°F, Flipping Halfway Through. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Use a kitchen thermometer to check for doneness; the internal temperature should reach 165°F.
5. Cook Remaining Batches. You can keep prior batches warm in the oven. ENJOY!
Rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!
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- Breaded chicken tenders. You can also make breaded chicken tenders with panko or breadcrumbs (gf if needed). The cooking time remains the same; avoid adding extra spices, seasonings, or oil.
- Leftover ideas. Leftover chicken tenders make a great addition for dinner salads, try kale salad, avocado salad, or kale caesar salad.
- Cooking times vary by model. The duration for cooking chicken tenders in the air fryer depends on your specific model and desired level of crispiness. For instance, in my Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer, I cook them at 375°F, typically from 8-12 minutes.
- Make them in the oven. The oven method requires more time. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the chicken tenders on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F to ensure they're fully cooked.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Sauce Suggestions
- Try my chipotle aioli from this air fryer Brussels sprouts recipe
- Greek yogurt herb dressing
- Healthy green goddess dip
- Cold spinach dip
- Buffalo sauce
- Bang bang sauce from my air fryer bang bang chicken recipe.
- Chimichurri - tastes delicious with chicken too!
- Honey mustard - also goes will with these crispy chicken burgers
- Healthy Ranch dip
What To Serve With Air Fryed Tenders
Keep it healthy and serve with fresh air fryed or baked veggies.
- Spicy skillet potatoes or potato bites
- Yellow rice
- Cucumber cabbage salad - this will be a hit!
- Mediterranean cucumber salad
- Potato salad
- Parmesan fries
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Place chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze. For freezing, arrange cooked air fryer chicken tenders in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat directly from frozen.
- To Reheat. To reheat chicken tenders in the Air Fryer, preheat to 350°F, then add tenders in a single layer and cook until warmed through. Alternatively, you can use the oven at 350°F; avoid the microwave to prevent sogginess. If reheating from frozen, add extra minutes until warmed through.
More Chicken Recipes
If you use your air fryer often, you can also browse my Amazon storefront with my favorite air fryer tools and kitchen gadgets here, where I've collected many of the accessories I personally use.
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Recipe Card
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C/375°F and lightly grease the basket.1 tablespoons olive oil
- Season the chicken. Mix chicken cuts with oil and seasonings in a bowl.½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper to taste, 12 ounce chicken breast or tenderloins
- Arrange the Chicken in Your Air Fryer. Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry at 375°F, Flipping Halfway Through. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. Use a kitchen thermometer to check for doneness; the internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Cook Remaining Batches. You can keep prior batches warm in the oven. ENJOY!
- Rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- To Store. Place chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze. For freezing, arrange cooked air fryer chicken tenders in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat directly from frozen.
- To Reheat. To reheat chicken tenders in the Air Fryer, preheat to 350°F, then add tenders in a single layer and cook until warmed through. Alternatively, you can use the oven at 350°F; avoid the microwave to prevent sogginess. If reheating from frozen, add extra minutes until warmed through.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This recipe was adapted from Big Mans World.
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Dina and Bruce
Trying to cut back carbs, and this was the perfect meal!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
happy you liked it!
Gianne
They were so juicy and flavorful, and the best part is that they were so easy to make. Definitely a new go-to recipe for me!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
the air fryer is the real deal, right?? happy you liked it!
Sky
Flavorful, juicy chicken tenders ready in just 10 minutes. What a great way to save time. Love this!!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
easy, quick and delicious 😉 happy you liked it!
Helen
Such a great idea for an easy weeknight dinner! Thanks for the recipe.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
happy you liked it!
Sonia
Thanks so much for this recipe - my friends LOVED it!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
thank you!!
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
enjoy a batch of healthy and juicy chicken tenders made easily in air fryer!