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air fryer breaded chicken tenders on a plate with ketchup.

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Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Tenders

Recipe by Danielle

Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Tenders – juicy, golden brown, and delicious! This easy main dish is made with a simple breading and is perfect for salads, wraps, or just dunking in ketchup! Make-ahead and freezer friendly!

  • Total Time25 minutes
  • Yield4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken breast (or tenderloins)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • avocado oil spray

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Place the raw chicken breasts on a cutting board and pat dry using paper towels. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the chicken breasts into uniform strips about 1 inch thick.
  2. Prepare breading station: In a flat-bottomed bowl, add the eggs and whisk until combined. In another flat-bottomed bowl, add the breadcrumbs and all the spices. Use a fork to mix.
  3. Bread the chicken: Add each raw chicken tender slice to the raw egg bowl and use a fork to coat all sides. One at a time, move each piece of chicken to the other bowl and completely coat with the crumb mixture. Use the fork to press the coating on to the raw chicken. Gently set it on a plate (or directly into the air fryer basket) and repeat with each piece of chicken. Place the chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer, not touching if possible. If you can’t fit all the chicken, cook in two batches instead of stacking.
  4. Cook the chicken: Use avocado oil spray to coat all the chicken in the air fryer basket with a solid spritz of oil. It should be a liberal amount of oil, but not dripping off the chicken. This will make the breading look wet and cover any dry spots. Air fry the chicken tenders at 380F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. When you flip the chicken, give any dry spots a quick spritz of oil, then continue cooking for the remaining time. The chicken tenders are done when the internal temperature reaches 165F, the exterior is golden brown, and the edges are darkening.
  5. Serve & store: Serve chicken tenders immediately on a salad, in a wrap, in a grain bowl, or with sides like tater tots or fries. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Equipment

(affiliate link!)

Notes

Chicken: Tenderloin cuts are traditional for ‘tenders’, however I prefer to use organic chicken breast from my ButcherBox (affiliate link!) meat delivery service because I do not like the tenderloin cut. Strips and tenders are very similar, so you can pick your favorite. To customize: Sub paprika for your favorite seasonings such as Cajun, ranch powder, chili powder, etc.

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2-3 tenders
  • Calories: 249
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Fat: 9g
  • Carbohydrates: 11g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 30g

Find it online: https://staging.projectmealplan.com/air-fryer-breaded-chicken-tenders/