onesweetappetite.com
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Crispy air fryer chicken tenders made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in about 20 minutes. Golden on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfect for easy weeknight dinners, wraps, or dipping.
Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Serves
4
Instructions
- 01
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- 02
Combine all of the seasonings in a small bowl.
- 03
In one bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, and half of the seasoning blend.
- 04
In a second bowl, add the panko and mix in the remaining seasoning.
- 05
In a third bowl, whisk the egg.
- 06
Dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture, then the egg, and finally coat with the panko. Press lightly to help it stick.
- 07
Place the coated chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd.
- 08
Generously spray the tops with cooking spray.
- 09
Air fry for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through and spraying again, until golden and crispy.
- 10
The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Start checking around 9 minutes to avoid overcooking.
Nutrition
per serving · 1 serving
- Calories
- 308
- Protein
- 40g
- Carbs
- 20g
- Fat
- 6g
- Fiber
- 1g
- Sugar
- 1g
- Sat. fat
- 1g
- Sodium
- 1169mg
- Cholesterol
- 150mg
Variations & swaps
Variations For Air Fried Chicken Tenders
- Once you’ve got the base recipe down, it’s really easy to tweak the flavor depending on what you’re craving or what you have on hand.
- Add heat. Whisk a little hot sauce into the egg for a subtle kick, or add cayenne to the seasoning mix if you want it spicier.
- Dijon twist. Stir 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard into the egg wash for a slightly tangy, more savory flavor.
- Parmesan crust. Mix a few tablespoons of grated parmesan into the panko for a salty, crispy coating that feels a little extra.
- Ranch-style tenders. Add a teaspoon of ranch seasoning to the flour mixture for an easy flavor boost that picky eaters tend to love.
- BBQ version. Brush the cooked tenders lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce and air fry for another 1 to 2 minutes to set the glaze.
- Buffalo-style. Toss the cooked tenders in buffalo sauce right after they come out of the air fryer. Perfect for wraps or salads.
- Italian-inspired. Add Italian seasoning to the coating and serve with marinara for dipping.
- Gluten-free option. Swap the flour for a gluten-free blend and use gluten-free panko. The method stays exactly the same.
- The best part is you don’t have to overthink it. Small changes go a long way, and once you find a version your family loves, it’s an easy way to keep this recipe in your regular rotation.
- The air fryer has become my go-to kitchen shortcut. For even more crispy, easy, and delicious meal ideas, take a look at my full collection of Air Fryer Recipes.
- You skipped the spray. A light coating of cooking spray is what helps the breading turn golden instead of dry. Spray before cooking and again halfway through for the best color and crunch.
Free · No ads
Save this recipe to your own library.
iCook.ing is a free recipe library. Create an account in 10 seconds to save this recipe, plan your week, and head to the store with one shopping list.
Save from anywhere
Paste a link from a recipe blog, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or Pinterest — we pull the ingredients, steps, and photo.
Plan your week
Drag recipes onto a weekly plan, scale for the number of people you're feeding, and never wonder what's for dinner.
One shopping list
Your plan rolls up into a single, de-duplicated shopping list — sorted by aisle so the store run is faster.
Cook, don't scroll
Big, screen-stays-awake cook mode with built-in timers. No ads. No life story above the recipe.