Air fryer chicken tenders are so easy to make. First the chicken is coated in a mayonnaise mustard sauce, and then tossed with a parmesan bread crumb mixture. These are cooked in the air fryer for about 10 minutes! The result is a crispy outside and tender meat inside.
Be sure to try my 6 best air fryer chicken legs recipes next!
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
I’m more of a no-fuss cook and I like this chicken tenders recipe because everything is mixed in the same bowl. Lots of breaded chicken recipes require 3 bowls of different ingredients and dredging the chicken in each. Not this one! Everything can be added to the same large bowl and tossed with the chicken, but just in two steps.
You can use chicken breast fillets, chicken tenders or chicken breast and slice it thin to create your own fillets. Also, don’t skip the panko bread crumbs because they add the perfect crunch!
Serve these crispy chicken legs with one of my 6 air fryer side dishes for a delicious easy meal.
If you like this easy recipe then you will also love my air fryer chicken thighs, easy air fryer chicken wings, breaded air fryer chicken legs, how to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer, and the juciest air fryer chicken breast recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast fillets - sliced into thin strips
Sauce Layer
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Breaded layer
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: In a large bowl, mix ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp garlic powder, and1 tsp onion powder.
STEP 2: In a separate small bowl, mix ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup regular bread crumbs, ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper.
STEP 3: Add the chicken tenders to a large bowl along with the mayo mustard mixture. Toss together so that the chicken is evenly coated.
STEP 4: Now sprinkle the parmesan and breadcrumb mixture over the bowl of chicken tenders. Toss everything together again so that it's evenly coated. Shake off the excess from each chicken tender.
STEP 5: Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ for 2 minutes. Place each chicken tender in a single layer in the air fryer and bake for about 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through using tongs. Chicken is done when it reaches 165℉ internally using a meat thermometer.
It's best to use the meat thermometer method to check when chicken is done. This will give you more tender meat.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat your air fryer first. This will provide more even cooking.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel first before adding other ingredients. This will remove any excess moisture and allow the sauce to stick better.
- Always flip the chicken halfway through using tongs cooking to get an even crispiness.
- Check the chicken in the last couple of minutes to make sure it's not overcooking. Every air fryer is different when it comes to cooking time.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Once the chicken tenders have cooled down, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- To Reheat – Add potatoes back to the air fryer at 375°F and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through. Flip the chicken legs halfway through.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) - Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Vortex Plus 6 Qt Air Fryer – The air fryer that I used in the photos. It has a large basket for more food in larger batches. It automatically preheats before adding food and reminds you to flip halfway through.
- Meat Thermometer - The best way to tell if your chicken is done is by using a digital meat thermometer!
- Mixing Bowls – Stackable mixing bowls keep the cupboards more organized and make it easy to toss ingredients together quickly.
- Magnetic Measuring Spoons – I love these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized together when storing them
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Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast fillets - sliced into thin strips
Sauce Layer
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Breaded layer
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder together. Add in the chicken tender and toss together so that they are evenly coated.
- In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ cup regular bread crumbs, ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken tenders and toss together so that they are evenly coated.Shake off the excess from each chicken tender.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ for 2 minutes. Place each chicken tender in a single layer in the air fryer and bake for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through using tongs. Chicken is done when it reaches 165℉ internally using a meat thermometer.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
C Austin says
This is my go to recipe for chicken tenders. So good!