How To Make Frozen Chicken Tenders In The Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
STEP TWO: Lay your frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer basket. Allow them enough room so the air can circulate them, but they can touch slightly.
STEP THREE: Cook the chicken for about 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking.
STEP FOUR: Remove them from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
Air Fry At 400 Degrees
Place chicken tenders in a single layer the air fryer basket. Make sure tenders are not touching.
Air fry raw tenders at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. I didn’t find that it was necessary to flip the chicken in my air fryer, but you could flip if halfway through if desired.
Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees inside.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders No Breading
This tender air fryer chicken tenders no breading recipe is my kids favorite meal! Barbecue strips of chicken breast cooked to perfection in no time.
We made this air fryer chicken tenders no breading recipe to see if it was as delicious as the frozen ones we bought for years. OH MY were they so much better! If you too are looking for an easy air fryer recipe thats egg free without breadcrumbs, this is it.
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Frozen Chicken Tenderloins In The Air Fryer:
Nothing beats the convenience of having frozen chicken tenderloins in the freezer. I always keep a bag of them in my freezer for those busy nights when I have no idea what to cook for dinner and need something done fast. I love how you dont have to thaw the chicken tenderloins before cooking them. No matter how hard I try, I can never remember to take them out to thaw!
Can I Make Regular Chicken Tenders And Coat Them With Buffalo Sauce Instead
Absolutely! Just keep in mind that if you smother them with sauce afterward, it will start to make the breading soggy. When you coat the chicken with sauce before cooking, it ensures your breading stays crispy the entire time youre eating them.
If you would rather make plain chicken and dip them in the sauce later, try my Air Fryer Chicken Tenders! Theyre easy to make for a delicious dinner the whole family will love.
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What Are Chicken Tenders
They are strips of meat that are tenuously attached to the underside of each breast. comes from the tenderloin, so each bird has two tenderloins. This cut is similar in location to beef and pork tenderloins.
It is white meat, taste exactly the same as breast meat, tender and moist when cooked right.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders No Egg
Time needed: 14 minutes.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders No Breading
Rinse and lay pieces on paper towels to remove excess moisture from outside. Set your meat aside and mix together other ingredients for your sauce in a bowl. If youre using bottled bbq sauce you can skip the mixing that. Scoop out 1/4 cup of your sauce and set aside. Marinate your tenders in the rest of the sauce in a bowl for at least 15 minutes.Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees and spray inside of basket with non stick spray.Use tongs to remove chicken from sauce and place inside basket overlapping as little as possible. If you have a smaller unit you may need to make 2 batches.
Cook for 10 minutes, then flip each piece over on to the other side and continue cooking for 4-6 minutes until internal meat temperature is 165 degrees.Use pastry brush to add more sauce to the outside before serving!
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What Are The Ingredients In These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Here are the ingredients in this easy air fryer chicken recipe:
- boneless skinless chicken breast I always have boneless skinless chicken breasts in the freezer so thats what I used for this recipe. You can also use chicken tenders already cut, or chicken thighs . Use whichever you want!
- avocado oil I prefer to use avocado oil as the marinade base because of the high smoke point. You can also use olive oil.
- white vinegar This ingredient is super important because its going to tenderize the chicken during the quick marination period. Vinegar is an acid which helps break down the meat fibers.
- Italian seasoning I love Italian seasoning for a classic, versatile chicken flavoring, but you can switch it out for a different flavor! Ideas are listed below.
- garlic powder I love garlic. It adds wonderful flavor to the chicken, no matter what other seasonings you choose.
- fine sea salt & fresh ground black pepper Salt also helps tenderize and flavor the chicken. I love fresh ground black pepper for flavor as well.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe
Ingredients
Kentucky Kernel seasoned flour, *if gluten-free use gluten-free flour with seasoned saltEgg, or if egg-free use Dijon mustard or egg-free mayoWaterSeasoned Italian bread crumbs
Instructions
First step in making Chicken Tenders is to preheat your air fryer. Although your brand may not require you to preheat before cooking, it is best to preheat the basket before adding the breaded chicken. It will decrease the chances of the chicken sticking to the basket during the cooking process.
Now it is time to prepare your dredging station. First, in a shallow bowl whisk the egg and water together and set aside.
Then place the Kentucky Kernel flour and breadcrumbs in 2 separate shallow bowls. You can typically find Kentucky Kernel flour in the baking aisle of your grocery store. It comes in a box and is a flavored flour that makes the best Chicken Tenders when combined with seasoned breadcrumbs..
Before you dredge the chicken, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture from the surface.
Then brush them lightly with olive oil on both sides. Work in small batches of 3-4 tenders to coat the chicken in the breading. First place the chicken tenders in the Kentucky Kernel seasoned flour. Next dip them in the egg mixture and then coat with seasoned bread crumbs.
Remove the Chicken tenders from the air fryer. Serve with hot with french fries, mashed potatoes, and of course your dipping sauce of choice!
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Do You Need To Spray The Air Fryer Basket
Nope! You can skip that step for this recipe.
Because the breading is frozen, it will simply crisp as the air circulates it without adhering to the surface of the basket. Even if the tenders are touching, they wont stick together.
Plus, most frozen foods in the US are already cooked with oil in them. When theyre heated back up, the existing oil keeps them from sticking naturally.
You can read more about when to use oil in an air fryer here.
How To Make Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders
Start by making the rub, mix all of the chicken rub ingredients in a small bowl, mix well.
Dip your chicken into the chicken rub, and as you coat them, place them into a greased air fryer basket.
Place the chicken tenderloins into the air fryer basket, careful not to overcrowd it, affecting the cooking time.
Set the time for 370 degrees F, air fryer setting, for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, flip and check your chicken to make sure it is done. If it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, it is fully cooked. If not, add another couple of minutes and recheck.
Plate, serve, and enjoy!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe:
- Its quick! Frozen chicken tenderloins take just 15 minutes in the air fryer!
- The air fryer is one of the best ways to cook frozen chicken. No need to turn on the oven or stove!
- Its simple! This recipe requires only a few ingredients. No breading or egg.
- There are so many ways to enjoy chicken tenderloins! They are perfect for lunch, dinner, meal prep, snack,salads, and wraps!
- No need to thaw. You can cook these straight from frozen which will save you a ton of time.
How Can I Make These Naked Buffalo Chicken Tenders Whole30 / Paleo / Keto Friendly
This recipe is naturally low-carb which makes it a perfect whole30/ paleo/ keto meal. To make sure its compliant, make sure to use whole30 approved mayo and hot sauce . As far as dipping sauces go, blue cheese dressing is not allowed on whole30/ paleo , so you might want to swap it for a mayo-based ranch dressing.
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Are Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Keto
Unlike store-bought, pre-cooked chicken tenders, this recipe is! Without adding any breading we did not add any carbs to the air fryer chicken tenders. To keep air fryer chicken tenders keto and low carb, we recommend staying away from packaged chicken and cook it from fresh with seasoning of your choice. However, watch any sauces you may choose to use as they do tend to have hidden sugars and carbs in them.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe Healthier And With Gluten Free Options
When I first purchased my air fryer, I knew that one of the first things that I wanted to make was Air Fryer Chicken Tenders and Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets.
We eat chicken quite often in our house and although I loved grilled chicken, I sometimes miss the crispy taste of fried chicken.
Knowing how bad fried foods are for your health, we have steered away from our deep fryer and continued to make grilled or baked chicken for several years now.
However, I finally jumped on the Air Fryer band wagon. And I am so glad that I did! Although there are several different types and brands of air fryers on the market, I personally own the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker and Air Crisper and the Emeril 360 XL Air Fryer.
What Type Of Air Fryer?
And the biggest reason for my decision to purchase them was the basket capacity. Prior to my purchase, I did a lot of research on which air fryer was the best one to buy. And it quickly became apparent that the common thread among consumer reviews and feedback was to purchase a large capacity air fryer.
So I weighed the options and first purchased the Ninja Foodi pressure cooker with the Air Fryer lid. Although I really wanted an air fryer, I loved the fact that I could do several things as well.
And I have been experimenting with recipes ever since! In fact, we have posted all of the Air Fryer Recipes Here so you can easily find them.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
You know those nights that you want something simple for dinner that tastes great, but donât want to put in a TON of effort? At the end of a long day, quick and easy comfort food is so tempting, and thatâs why I created todayâs recipe for you! If youâre a fan of low carb keto paleo baked chicken nuggets in the air fryer and crispy air fryer breaded chicken breast, then you are going to OBSESS over these chicken tenders air fryer no breading. You heard right- these chicken tenders have NO breading, making them gluten and dairy free and even easier to whip up for your crew in a flash!
How To Reheat These Chicken Tenders:
From the fridge: Place cold tenders in the air fryer and cook at 350 for 5-7 minutes or until the tenders are hot. These tenders would also reheat well in a HotLogic Portable Oven link to my review.
From the freezer: Place frozen cooked tenders in the air fryer and cook at 350F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Did you make this? I want to see how it turned out! Tag me in your social media post @projectmealplan and use #projectmealplan when you share!
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How To Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
STEP TWO: Place the egg and buffalo sauce in a shallow bowl and whisk until well-combined. In a second shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, paprika, and garlic powder.
I love to use my homemade buffalo sauce in this recipe for the best flavor, but you can also use storebought.
STEP THREE: Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess, then transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining tenders.
STEP FOUR: Spray both sides of the chicken tenders generously with oil.
STEP FIVE: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
STEP SIX: Lay the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping once halfway through the cooking time until they are cooked through and golden brown on the outside and reach 165 degrees using an Instant-Read Thermometer.
STEP SEVEN: Serve with more buffalo sauce or your favorite dipping sauce and blue cheese, if desired.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders
These naked chicken tenders are so easy to make. All you have to do is season them with my favorite chicken seasoning and cook in the air fryer. It takes less than 15 minutes.
- chicken tenderloins also called chicken tenders, can be replaced with chicken breast strips. To use frozen chicken tenders allow them to defrost before air frying.
- chicken seasoning just a quick and easy seasoning mix I love to make and have on hand every time I cook chicken.
- olive oil used to help the seasonings stick to the chicken tenderloins.
If you dont have chicken seasoning use:
- 1 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Another great thing is that you can use your favorite spices and herbs to make this air fryer chicken recipe even better.
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How Long To Cook
Chicken tenderloins take 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer. I recommend flipping them over halfway through the cooking time.
The most important thing is to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Thats the minimum it needs to be safe to eat without overcooking and making the chicken dry.
I highly recommend getting an instant meat thermometer to check the temp.
How Long To Cook Chicken Tenders In The Air Fryer
When cooking chicken breast using the air fryer, it is important to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked before serving it. Bake your chicken tenders in the air fryer for about 8-1 minutes. You will know they are done when the inside temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit- you can check this using a meat thermometer.
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Make Ahead Storage Freezer Serving & Reheating
- Make Ahead: Season tenderloins and store in the refrigerator for up to a day before air frying.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Store seasoned unbreaded chicken tenders in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
- Serving: Serve as a main dish with a vegetable like broccoli and french fries for an easy family friendly meal. Alternatively, use in a wrap, bowl or salad.
- Reheating: No breading chicken tenderloins can be reheated by air frying again for about 3-5 minutes at 360F until the internal temperature is 165F.
How To Make Chicken Tenders In The Air Fryer With No Breading
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
STEP TWO: Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels, then place them in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat completely.
STEP THREE: Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the chicken tenders.
STEP FOUR: Air fry the chicken tenders for 10-12 minutes, flipping once halfway through the cooking time, until they are cooked through and golden on the outside and hit an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
I recommend using an Instant-Read Thermometer so you can pull the chicken tenders out as soon as they reach the right temperature so they stay juicy and tender.
STEP FIVE: Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce, if desired.
I love dipping these in my homemade buffalo sauce, honey sriracha sauce, and homemade BBQ sauce recipes!
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Can I Freeze Naked Chicken Tenders
Absolutely you can freeze naked chicken tenders. You can freeze them raw once you rub them with the spice rub. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook per the directions in the recipe below.
You can also freeze your chicken tenders after they have been cooked. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in your air fryer for one to two minutes at 350 degrees until warm all the way through. I find that frozen cooked chicken tends to be a little on the dry side, but it makes for an easy salad topping or quick dinner.