1 ½poundschicken tendersor boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded evenly and cut into strips
2large eggswhisked
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
¼teaspoonground black pepper
½teaspoongarlic powder
1cupseasoned panko
Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl or pie plate.
In another shallow bowl or pie plate combine the salt, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, garlic powder and panko together.
Dip chicken strips in egg then into breadcrumb making sure it’s completely covered. Shake off excess and transfer to a large dish or baking sheet. Repeat with all chicken strips.
Spray breaded chicken strips with nonstick cooking spray, flip over and spray again.
Place chicken strips in an air fryer, making sure not to let them overlap or touch, you will need to cook these in two batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook in the air fryer for 8-10 minutes, flipping half way through or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve immediately with desired dipping sauces such as ranch, BBQ sauce, honey mustard etc.
Video
Notes
Do You Need To Add Oil To The Air Fryer To Make Tenders?Nope! You only need to lightly coat the breaded strips with cooking spray before you cook them. That’s the best part about air frying – you get crispy fried chicken tenders without all the oil!How Long To Cook Chicken Tenders In Air Fryer?You’ll want to cook these chicken tenders at 400 degrees Fahrenheit in your air fryer for about 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend preheating your air fryer to help reduce cooking time.The cooking time will depend on how thick your chicken tenders are. The thicker the chicken is the longer it will take to cook.How Do You Know When They Are Done Cooking?The easiest way to know when they are done is to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The temperature should be 165°F.If you don’t have a thermometer, you can slice the biggest one in half and check the center – it should not have any pink and the juices should run clear.Can I Make These In An Oven?Of course these chicken tenders can be made in the oven.Prep the chicken strips according to the directions then bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.Can I Freeze These?Yes! After you cook them simply let them completely cool off, place them in a freezer Ziploc bag and freeze. They will last for about a month.To reheat simply put in the air fryer and cook until warmed through. We recommend 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-5 minutes.Reheating TipIf you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes so they are nice and crispy.
