These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are tender and juicy on the inside, and crispy on the outside. Thanks to the air fryer, they are done in minutes without frying them in oil!
Prepare chicken tenders: If you want to remove the tendon strip that is in the center of each chicken tender, simply pull it out by placing the tendon in between the fork teeth and grabbing it with a paper towel; then pull by the tendon and press the fork against the chicken tender. The tendon strip will come out and the chicken tender can be cut into two pieces.
2 lbs chicken tenders
Mix seasoning in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the chicken tenders. Rub it in.
½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Beat eggs in a small shallow bowl and bread crumbs and panko in another shallow bowl.
2 large eggs, ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
Dip seasoned tenders in eggs, then bread crumbs and place on a plate.
Spray with cooking oil spray while still on a plate, not in the air fryer basket. This will prevent the oil from baking into the basket and leaving a residue that is hard to clean.
cooking oil spray
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Cook chicken tenders in batches. Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket or rack.
Cook for 6 minutes, flip on the other side using kitchen tongs and cook another 6 minutes.
Repeat until all chicken tenders are cooked.
Notes
If you don't have chicken tenders, use chicken breast and slice it into strips, about ¾″ thick.
Eggs help the breading to stick to the chicken but if you need to omit them, use melted butter.
Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.