Name: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound chicken tenderloins; 2 TBSP light olive oil; 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs; 1 tsp Italian Herbs; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt

Crispy fresh made chicken tenders in the air fryer are one of the EASIEST dishes you can make. Literally done in under 20 minutes from breading to air frying.

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These are FRESH homemade Air Fryer Chicken Tenders. Made from scratch in UNDER 20 minutes these chicken strips will be a recipe you turn to again and again. They are in the WEEKLY rotation in our home.

Chicken tenderloins rolled in crispy flaky panko and a variety of herbs and seasonings make the BEST air fryer chicken tenders.

Nothing fried and frozen about these chicken strips!! Not that we DON’T love those too. But there is something about making your own chicken strips at home that hits differently.

And when they’re SO EASY and SO FAST to make you kind of feel superpowered!

What you need to make the BEST Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Air Fryer (I USE AND LOVE the Cosori!)
1 pound chicken tenderloins
panko bread crumbs
light olive oil
Italian Seasoning
paprika
garlic powder
salt
oil mister

Double or Triple This Recipe!

If you have kids you might want to double this recipe! Yes, it’s THAT GOOD. I actually triple it because my kids will take the leftovers for lunches for a couple of days straight. If you double it, air fry them in separate batches, don’t crowd your air fryer!

Plus they make excellent lunches for adults, I send them with my husband often. I even make myself lunches to eat at home so I don’t have to stop and cook if I don’t have time.

You can send them with a dipping sauce for kids if they’re into that. OR make them into sandwiches. Or slice them onto salads for a protein-packed lunch salad. Air fryer chicken tenderloins are versatile is what I’m trying to say!

Can I use Chicken Breast instead of Tenderloins?

I have done this in a pinch. It does work out. I simply sliced the breasts into strips sized pieces. The only thing I thought was different was the breast strip pieces were dry. The tenderloins are never dry unless you overbake them.

If you don’t have breasts or tenderloins try these Air Fryer Chicken Fries!

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

4.74 from 15 votes

Crispy fresh made chicken tenders in the air fryer are one of the EASIEST dishes you can make. Literally done in under 20 minutes from breading to air frying.

Course: Dinner Recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Laura

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound chicken tenderloins
2 TBSP light olive oil
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Italian Herbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400˚
put the chicken tenderloins into a bowl pour the oil over and toss to coat, set aside
mix the panko with the remaining ingredients and toss to mix
take one chicken tenderloin out of the oil, gently let it drip off the excess oil
press into the panko mix on both sides
being sure to coat them evenly, gently shake off the excess
lay in preheated air fryer basket
repeat with remaining pieces of chicken
*optional* mist LIGHTLY with oil, 1-2 pumps
put in the air fryer set for 5 minutes at 400˚
after 5 minutes turn the strips over to brown them evenly
set for 400˚ for another 5 minutes
the chicken should be done after 10 minutes of cooking, check with a thermometer it should read 165˚
if the chicken isn’t done set for another 2 minutes, and check again