Last Updated on June 26, 2024

How to Cook Chicken Tenders in an Air Fryer

Cooking chicken tenders from scratch in your air fryer is surprisingly simple. All you need is some basic seasoning and a couple of common kitchen ingredients to transform raw chicken into crispy, golden deliciousness. Keep reading to ensure your homemade chicken tenders are both perfectly cooked and irresistibly tasty!

How Do You Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders?

When you’re looking for a quick, easy and oh-so-delicious comfort food for a simple dinner for yourself or to feed the whole gang, nothing beats chicken tenders in the air fryer. They’re ready to dip in your favorite sauces and serve with your favorite sides — a staple for any time. Knowing how to cook chicken tenders in the air fryer can be a big help when you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table.

Convenient Frozen Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

One of the fastest ways to make chicken tenders in the air fryer is to choose fully cooked, frozen breaded chicken strips and simply follow the package instructions for reheating them in the air fryer. Also, heed your air fryer’s manual for specific settings for your chicken tenders to turn out perfectly juicy and yummy. 

Making Chicken Tenders From Scratch

No ready-cooked chicken tenders on hand? No problem. Making chicken tenders from scratch doesn’t take much time or cost much more than buying the heat-and-eat variety. For great taste and quality, always choose free-range organic or pasture-raised heirloom chicken. Before you begin, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.

You’ll need:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds of thawed chicken breast meat or tenderloins
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• All-purpose flour or panko bread crumbs

Slice each chicken breast into ½ inch thick strips; tenderloins are pre-sliced. Place the chicken strips in a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Mix the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then