Name: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 12 ounce chicken breast or tenderloins; 1 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; black pepper to taste

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 chicken tenders served with white dipping sauce.

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!

chicken tenders in air fryer with lemon slice.

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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.

a bowl of seasonings, olive oil and chicken tenders.

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.

seasoned chicken tenders arranged in single layer in air fryer basket.

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!

Read Next → Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Tips

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

chicken tenders served with white dipping sauce.

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.

Before You Head Out

If you gave this recipe a try, I'd be so thankful if you could leave a ★★★★★ rating and review below. It helps other readers, supports my work, and means the world to me. Thank you for being part of The Yummy Bowl family. Happy cooking! ❤️

Recipe Card

Julia

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

5 from 7 votes

These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are perfectly seasoned on the outside and juicy on the inside, making them a quick and deliciously healthy meal!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings: 11 tenders

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 48

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

12 ounce chicken breast or tenderloins
1 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

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

Calories: 48kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.2mg

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.