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a plate of air fryer chicken tenders with tongs on the side.

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4.9 from 23 reviews

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading!)

Recipe by Danielle

These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are incredibly juicy, tender, and simple to make. You won’t even miss the breading in this versatile chicken recipe! Use raw chicken breast or tenders to create the most delicious chicken that’s great for salads, wraps, grain bowls, and more!

  • Total Time50 minutes
  • Yield4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken breasts (or tenderloins)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Place raw chicken breasts (1 pound boneless skinless) on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the chicken breast into uniform strips about 1 inch thick. Each chicken breast should make 4-6 strips, depending on size and thickness.
  2. Marinate chicken: In a large bowl, add the cut chicken strips, oil (2 tablespoons), white vinegar (1/2 tablespoon), Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1 teaspoon) and fresh ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon). Stir gently until chicken is coated in oil and spices. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Do not skip – this step helps tenderize the chicken. Do not let the chicken marinate for more than 12 hours – this could over tenderize the chicken and give it a mushy texture.
  3. Cook the chicken: Place chicken strips into the air fryer basket in a single layer, not touching each other if possible. Air fry at 380F for 9-11 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when the edges and sides are beginning to turn golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165F degrees. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to do this in batches.
  4. 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 cut organic chicken breasts myself, because I do not like the tenderloin cut. Strips and tenders are very similar, so you can pick your favorite. To customize: Sub Italian seasoning for your favorite seasonings such as Cajun, ranch powder, chili powder, etc.

Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal. Recipe video added 6/4/21.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Mains
  • Method: Air Fry
  • Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 ounces
  • Calories: 189
  • Sugar: 0g
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 1g
  • Protein: 26g

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