Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Unbreaded)

by: Air Fryer Eats Team
Updated: August 12, 2024


These unbreaded chicken tenders in the air fryer are perfectly seasoned with herbs and spices and cook in the air fryer in just 10 minutes. Dinner has never been so good!

unbreaded air fryer chicken tender being dipped into bbq sauce cup

Recipe Overview

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders without breading are much healthier than traditional breaded tenders. This recipe is also low-carb, keto, whole30 approved, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Perfect for a healthy diet or meal plan.

Our quick seasoning blend uses spices you probably already have at home!

Use air fryer chicken tenders paired with Air Fryer Broccoli to create healthy and delicious meal prep lunches.

Are you looking for the recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Tenders with a crispy breading? I have one for you! You might also want to save instructions for making Frozen Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer too.

Ingredients List

Ingredients for unbreaded chicken tenders in the air fryer, each in separate bowls on a marble counterop
  • Chicken Tenderloins – Start with raw chicken tenderloins for this air fryer chicken tenders recipe. I can almost always find these at the grocery store, but if you can’t, just buy regular chicken breasts and cut them into strips.
  • Olive Oil – This helps our spices and herbs stick to the chicken and lets them brown up nicely in the air fryer.
  • Garlic Powder – this warm, sweet spice is great with almost anything but is especially delicious on chicken and other meats.
  • Kosher Salt – We want our chicken to be well seasoned. Adjust the amount of salt for your own preferences.
  • Oregano – This warm, earthy herb is delicious with chicken and I add it to most of my spice blends.
  • Paprika – Ground paprika does double duty here. It adds a warm spiciness and also adds color.
  • Ground Black Pepper – I like a bit of pepper to give these chicken tenders a kick.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!

How to make these tenders

photo collage showing six steps needed to make air fryer unbreaded chicken tenders
  1. Pat the chicken tenders dry with a paper towel. Then, add them to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
  2. Combine the spices in a small bowl and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle over the top of the chicken tenders. Toss the chicken tenders with the oil and spice blend until completely covered.
  3. Place the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Work in batches if need be.
  4. Air fry at 380F for 9-10 mins, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF/74ยฐC.
a pile of unbreaded chicken tenders on a plate with a side cup of bbq sauce

Recipe Tips

  • Watch Your Food: I say this about almost every recipe, but it’s important to keep an eye on your food in the air fryer, especially if you’re making something you haven’t made before.
  • Adjust the Seasonings: You can season these air fryer chicken tenders any way you like. Add some chili powder to make them spicy, or try a Cajun seasoning blend. Get creative!
  • Store Leftovers: Leftover air fryer chicken tenders can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can enjoy them cold in salads or sandwiches, or reheat in a 350ยฐF air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through.
  • Use a Meat Thermometer: For safety, chicken needs to be cooked to at least 160ยฐF – 165ยฐF or 74ยฐC. Using an instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check the temperature of your meat.

Serving Tips

These naked chicken tenders are super versatile and delicious with just about any side dish. You can even use them for weekly meal prepping, or making sandwiches or wraps.

Turn these tenders into a Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, or make up your own chicken salad varieties.

My perfect dinner (that my family loves too) is these unbreaded chicken tenders paired with Air Fryer Potato Wedges and some steamed veggies. A side of Air Fryer Balsamic Mushrooms would be delicious too.

More air fryer side dish ideas: Air Fryer Tater Tots, Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer, Air Fryer Hushpuppies, and so many more in our recipe index.

I like to dip chicken tenders in my Homemade BBQ Sauce or Homemade BBQ Ranch Sauce. Yum!

What are Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders are a cut of chicken that comes from the tenderloin, underneath the chicken breast. Each chicken has two tenderloins. I suppose we call them chicken tenders because it’s more fun to say!

Should I remove the Tendon from the chicken?

Everyone has different opinions about this, so you can do what you like! The thick white tendon inside of the chicken tenderloin is inedible, so if you remove it, the tenders will be easier to eat.

That said, the tendon can be hard to remove, so you might decide it’s easiest to air-fry chicken tenders with the tendon still in.

If you want to remove the tendon, take a knife and carefully separate the end from the meat. Then hold the tendon with a paper towel, and use a fork to push the meat away from you.

chicken tenders with seasonings in an air fryer basket

FAQs

Are unbreaded tenders Healthy?

These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders without breading are much healthier than other breaded and fried chicken!

Can you cook frozen unbreaded tenders in the air fryer?

You can! I find that it takes at least 3 additional minutes for the chicken to cook through if I start with frozen chicken.

Can I put raw chicken in my air fryer?

Yes, you can cook raw chicken tenders in the air fryer.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

I suggest preheating the air fryer when making unbreaded chicken tenders. This step helps to get the chicken cooked quickly and perfectly. If you decide not to preheat, you will need to cook the chicken tenders for an additional 3-6 minutes to get them to the correct temperature.

unbreaded air fryer chicken tender being dipped into bbq sauce cup
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4.82 from 11 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Unbreaded)

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Unbreaded) is the best and easiest way to cook chicken in the air fryer. These unbreaded chicken tenders in the air fryer are perfectly seasoned with herbs and spices and cook in just 10 minutes. Dinner has never been so good!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 164kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Raw Chicken Tenderloins
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 380ยฐF/190ยฐC for 5 minutes.
  • Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. Then, add them to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Combine the spices in a small bowl and stir until mixed. Sprinkle over the top of the chicken tenders.
  • Toss the chicken tenders with the oil and spice blend until completely covered.
  • Place the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Work in batches if need be.
  • Air fry at 380F for 9-10 mins, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ยฐF/74ยฐC.

Notes

  • You can typically find chicken pre-cut into tenderloins at the grocery store. If you canโ€™t, purchase chicken breasts and cut them into long strips yourself.
  • The spice blend for this chicken is so delicious, but if youโ€™re looking for something a bit simpler, you can just use ยฝ tsp salt and ยผ tsp ground black pepper for a basic recipe. Change around the spices to your liking!
  • Depending on the size of your chicken tenders, they may cook quicker or slower than the times we have listed. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165F.
  • Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
  • Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Have oven recipes that youโ€™d like to convert to an air fryer recipe? Use our Air Fryer Calculator to help you estimate cooking times and temps! Calculator here: https://airfryereats.com/air-fryer-conversion-air-fryer-calculator/

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I was looking for a different way to do my chicken tenders when I stumbled upon your site on Google. I’ve saved you as a bookmark, and will be visiting regularly! Thanks for the tenders recipe by the way – they’re DELICIOUS!

  2. 5 stars
    made these a week ago, they were wonderful. cooked off extra to put in the frig for topping salads. they were just as tasty cold. making them again tonight. love this zesty spice combo and love the no-breading!

4.82 from 11 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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