Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders
Published Oct. 17, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
- 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Kosher), plus more for seasoning
- Black pepper
- 2large eggs
- 2teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½cups panko bread crumbs
- 2teaspoons sweet paprika
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- BBQ sauce, ranch dressing or ketchup, for dipping (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
620 calories; 41 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 22 grams protein; 622 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat air fryer to 400 degrees, if preheating is recommended for your air fryer.
- Step 2
Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. (Chicken can be seasoned and left uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.)
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and mustard. In a separate medium bowl or shallow dish, combine the panko, paprika, 1¼ teaspoons of salt and some black pepper.
- Step 4
Working with one strip at a time, dip chicken into egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then roll in the seasoned panko, pressing to adhere as much as possible. Place breaded chicken on a large plate.
- Step 5
Lightly spray both sides of the tenders with cooking spray. Transfer as many of the tenders as possible to the air fryer basket, making sure they’re in an even layer. (For smaller air fryer baskets, cooking may need to be done in batches. Tent the cooked tenders with aluminum foil to keep warm while cooking the other batches.) Cook, flipping the tenders halfway through, until the panko is browned and the chicken is fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with any of the dipping sauces alongside, if desired.
- To freeze uncooked tenders, lay the breaded chicken on a baking sheet and freeze until the panko does not easily shake off, then transfer to a resealable bag or airtight container. When ready to cook, place in the air fryer frozen, adding a few minutes to the cook time, until the chicken is fully cooked.
Private Notes
Comments
Add oil to the panko if you don't have or use spray oil. It crisps up perfectly in the air fryer and there's less handling to knock off the panko.
I've made this recipe several times now and skip the egg, just wash with the mustard. I find it keeps more of the Dijon flavor. I also split the breading into two batches. If you mix it all at once, the last couple tenders will be more of the panko and not as fully mixed with the other spices. I also toss in a little turmeric, less than 1tsp, for more of a golden/yellow coloring for the finish.
Be careful about using cooking spray, as this can really gum up some air fryer ovens.
Mine cooked fairly fast, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Some of my thinner tenders were pretty dry, but they got too hot. Very tasty crust. Great with BBQ sauce for dip.
I did these but didn’t have Dijon so went into my junk drawer and used a Chinese hot mustard it was perfect. Loved the crispiness!
The crust was great, but the tenders ended up pretty chewy. What did I do wrong?
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