Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Printer-friendly)

Crispy golden strips with juicy tender meat, air fried to perfection with seasoned breadcrumbs.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb chicken tenderloins, or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

→ Marinade

02 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika

→ Breading

07 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
08 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 1 teaspoon paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for heat
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Cooking

13 - Olive oil spray

# Method:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until well combined. Add the chicken strips and turn to coat evenly. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper if using, and salt. Mix thoroughly to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the breading.
03 - Set the air fryer to 400°F and allow it to preheat for 3 minutes so the cooking chamber reaches the proper temperature.
04 - Remove each chicken strip from the buttermilk marinade, letting the excess drip off. Press each strip firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even and complete coating on all sides.
05 - Place the breaded tenders in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, leaving space between each piece for proper air circulation. Lightly spritz the tops with olive oil spray to promote browning.
06 - Cook at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping the tenders halfway through the cooking time. The tenders are done when the exterior is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Transfer the tenders to a plate and serve immediately while hot, accompanied by your preferred dipping sauces such as honey mustard or ranch.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The panko crust crisps up so convincingly that nobody will believe these were not deep fried.
  • Buttermilk marinade does most of the flavor work for you while you handle everything else.
  • Cleanup is laughably easy compared to pan frying with splattered oil everywhere.
02 -
  • Do not skip the olive oil spray or you will end up with pale dry patches instead of that golden crunch everyone expects.
  • Crowding the air fryer basket is the single biggest mistake, cook in batches if needed because overlapping tenders will ruin everything.
  • Double dipping in buttermilk and then breadcrumbs again creates an outrageously thick crust that is worth the extra mess.
03 -
  • Press the panko on with real pressure, a gentle roll will leave you with bald spots and uneven browning.
  • Let the breaded tenders rest on a plate for five minutes before frying so the coating sets and adheres better during cooking.

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