Many parties and get-togethers have been rescued by this super fast recipe: unbreaded air fryer chicken tenders. And, bonus, these tenders are as delicious as they are easy to make.
Use this guide to perfect your skill at making this classic party dish.
Air fryer chicken tenders cooking tips
Different recipes exist for air fryer chicken tenders, but the method described here favors fast. Follow these guidelines for the fastest and tastiest air fryer chicken tenders.
Set the right temperature
The right temperature to balance fast cooking with a good result is 400°F or 200°C.
Use actual chicken tenderloins
You can make tenderloins by slicing chicken breast into smaller pieces, but this adds a step of work for you. It also increases the risk of uneven cooking if you don’t cut the pieces into even sizes.
Stand the chicken
When the tenderloins overlap in the air fryer basket, it can interfere with the cooking time. To fix this problem, you can stand the pieces up against the sides of your air fryer basket.
Dry the tenders
Before seasoning the tenders, use paper towels to absorb any excess moisture from the meat. You can then proceed with dry seasoning or, as recommended below, dunking the tenders in seasoned melted butter.
Cooking time for air fryer chicken tenders
At a temperature of 400°F or 200°C, chicken tenders will cook in the air fryer in 8 to 10 minutes.
PrintAir fryer unbreaded chicken tenders
You can get these air-fryer chicken tenders ready in under 20 minutes. Serve with bbq sauce or ranch dressing — or whatever sauce you have on hand — for a quick, high-protein snack.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Method: Air fry
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep. Wipe away excess moisture from the tenders using paper towels. Melt the butter over low heat on the stove, and whisk in the salt and spices. Brush the melted butter over the chicken pieces.
- Air fry. Stand the tenderloins against the sides of the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 400°F or 200°C. Cook the chicken tenders for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. If the indicator reads 165°F or 74°C, they are done.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 628.1 mg
- Fat: 11.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.1 g
- Protein: 7.3 g
- Cholesterol: 31.5 mg
