Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders aren’t just a restaurant menu appetizer anymore! Make juicy and tender sweet & savory air fryer chicken tenders in only 30 minutes with this easy recipe!

Recipe Overview

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are savory and juicy, and so delish! I love that it takes less than 30 minutes to make them – and that time includes the super special marinade!

Cooking these chicken tenders in the air fryer makes them super crispy on the outside while keeping them nice and moist on the inside. Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are crispy and delicious just like Air Fryer Fried Chicken, but they take less time to cook.

I love to serve them with a basket of air fryer french fries and a couple of my favorite dipping sauces! BBQ Sauce and Honey Mustard are the best dips for chicken tenders, and the whole meal is 100% kid-approved.

We have a recipe for chicken tenders in the air fryer without any breading too! They are delicious either way, and both recipes are super easy to make in the air fryer.

What Part of the Chicken is the chicken tender?

Chicken tenders are made from tenderloin (thus the name “tender” for short), which is found under the breast meat running along either side of the chicken’s breastbone.

Tenders are white meat, but they are softer than chicken breast since they are a muscle that doesn’t get as much use.

Are chicken tender white meat?

Yep! Chicken tenderloins are white meat! They’re very similar to chicken breast meat since they are a muscle that grows along the breast bone.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Chicken Tenders – This recipe makes a pound of chicken tenders, but feel free to adjust to make more or less food. This recipe will also work with boneless chicken breasts cut into chicken strips, or you can make crispy air fryer chicken cutlets!
• Maple Syrup – The secret ingredient to my air fryer chicken tenders is a quick marinade in sweet, delicious maple syrup! This magic ingredient helps the coating stick to the chicken but also adds a layer of sweet flavor. It’s like Chicken and Waffles but without the waffles!
• Coating – This breading mixture is super easy. You will need breadcrumbs and all-purpose flour. I find that some of both makes the best crispy texture.
• Seasonings – Season the flour and breadcrumbs with poultry seasoning and paprika to create a slightly smoky and savory coating that will crisp up perfectly in your air fryer.

How to make them

1. Trim any excess fat or unwanted pieces from the chicken tenderloins.
2. Add the maple syrup to a bowl and dip the chicken pieces in the syrup to coat.
3. Mix together the breading ingredients in a separate bowl, and toss the maple chicken pieces in the mixture to coat evenly.
4. Add the breaded chicken pieces to a prepared air fryer basket, working in a single layer.
5. Air fry the maple chicken tenders at 400 degrees for roughly 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
6. Serve your air fryer chicken tenders with your dipping sauce of choice, and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• Be sure to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly in the maple syrup. Make sure that all sides are coated for best results. You’ll end up with the most flavorful sweet and savory chicken!
• Shake off any excess coating after dredging. Too much breading can stick to the air fryer basket, leaving you with a mess or even hindering the chicken from cooking evenly.
• Don’t have poultry seasoning? Make your own! Combine a couple of teaspoons of dried sage with 1.5 tsp dried thyme, a teaspoon each of marjoram and rosemary, a half teaspoon each of salt & pepper. Whisk together or stir with a fork to break up any clumps, then add a teaspoon to your flour dredge and store the rest in an air tight container for up to 6 months.
• You can also season the breading using any of your favorite seasonings or seasoning blends!
• Always serve chicken at a safe internal temperature. A meat thermometer placed into the thickest part of the chicken should read a minimum of 165 degrees F before serving.
• To make this recipe sugar-free, Use a beaten egg mixed with a teaspoon of water in place of the maple syrup.
• To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF flour and breadcrumbs.

Serving Tips

There are so many delicious ways to serve chicken tenders! Here are some of my favorite accompaniments:

Sauces:

A side of sweet & smoky BBQ sauce or even more maple syrup for dipping!

• You could add a side of honey mustard sauce or pure honey for dipping – it’s so good!
• Creamy buffalo ranch sauce – mix 2 parts ranch to 1 part buffalo sauce for an easy, fiery condiment that’s out of this world!
• Ranch Dressing and Ketchup are kid-friendly condiments that are delicious on chicken tenders too!
• Turn these tenders into chicken parm strips! Melt cheese on top and dip them in marinara sauce.

Sides:

I always enjoy french fries with chicken tenders. You can use the air fryer to make Frozen French Fries, Frozen Sweet Potato Fries, or homemade Potato Wedges.

If you want a veggie, you should make Zucchini Fries in the air fryer instead! Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli is an easy and healthy side dish too.

Storage and reheating

You can store leftovers from this recipe in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

To reheat, cook in the air fryer at 350°F/175°C for 4-6 minutes or until warm.

Freeze-cooked chicken tenders for up to three months. Reheat them directly from frozen in the oven or air fryer.

FAQs