Chicken tenders in the air fryer are a lighter take on American fast food: whole chicken tenderloins in a crispy, seasoned breading, dipped in barbecue sauce and ketchup. They are traditionally deep-fried, but here a thin layer of brushed-on oil is all you need – and the breading still turns golden and crunchy.
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The secret lies in two things: a buttermilk marinade that makes the meat tender and juicy, and a three-layer breading of seasoned flour, egg and panko. I use whole tenderloins rather than small pieces like those for popcorn chicken, because whole tenderloins hold on to their juices better.
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Why I love chicken tenders in the air fryer
It is a dish that brings the whole table together. The chicken is mild enough for the children, while the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper in the flour give the adults a bit of a kick. And because chicken tenders are eaten with your fingers and dipped in sauce, dinner instantly becomes more relaxed.
I also like that the chicken looks after itself in the fridge while the marinade does its work. It needs at least 30 minutes in the buttermilk, and if you have time, 2-4 hours makes it even more tender. The breading itself is straightforward once three deep plates with flour, egg and panko are lined up and ready.
Air fryer or deep fryer – what is the difference?
In a deep fryer, the chicken sits in hot oil. In the air fryer, it is the circulating hot air that does the work, so the breading gets a little help: panko, which is coarser and airier than ordinary breadcrumbs, and 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil, brushed on in a thin layer. You avoid a pot of hot oil on the stove and the smell of frying in the kitchen. The crust ends up lighter than a deep-fried one, but it still crunches.
My kitchen test of chicken tenders
I tested the recipe in my Cosori Dual Blaze, which has one basket with heating elements both above and below, so the breading gets heat from both sides and turns evenly golden. The tenderloins got 6 minutes at 200 °C, were turned with tongs and brushed with the rest of the oil, and then got another 6 minutes. After the 12 minutes in total, the meat thermometer showed 75 °C in the thickest tenderloin, and the breading was crispy all the way around.
The most important thing I have learned is that tenderloins are not all the same size. So always measure in the thickest tenderloin, and give them 1-2 minutes more at 200 °C if the core temperature has not been reached. If the basket is too small for them all to lie in a single layer, cook them in two batches and allow 12 minutes per batch. In a large basket like the one on a Philips XXL, you can fit more in at a time.
Use one hand for the flour and panko and the other for the egg. That way the breading does not clump on your fingers, and the panko settles in an even layer on every single tenderloin.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is breading that falls off during cooking. This happens when the tenderloin is too wet, or the panko has only been sprinkled on loosely. Let the marinade drip off, press the panko firmly onto both sides with your hands, and let the breaded tenderloins sit for a few minutes while the air fryer heats up, so the breading sets. The second mistake is overfilling the basket. If the tenderloins lie on top of each other, the hot air cannot circulate and the breading turns soft, so place them in a single layer with a little air between them. The third mistake is skipping the oil. Without the thin layer of rapeseed oil, the panko turns pale and dry, so brush the top before cooking and the other side when you turn the tenderloins halfway through.
How to serve chicken tenders
Chicken tenders are made for dipping, so put small bowls of sauce on the table and let everyone help themselves. This is what I most often serve with them:
- Fries – cook them first, and warm them for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer at 200 °C while the chicken rests
- Barbecue sauce and ketchup for dipping
- Coleslaw as a fresh counterpoint to the crispy breading
- A green salad as a light side
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 180 °C for 3-5 minutes, until they are crispy again – in the microwave the breading turns soft. Chicken tenders can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before you reheat them.
With buttermilk, panko and a thin layer of oil, you get chicken tenders that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside – with no deep fryer at all. You will find the exact method in the recipe at the bottom of the page.
FAQ
They need 12 minutes at 200 °C: 6 minutes on each side. Check with a meat thermometer that the core temperature is 75 °C in the thickest tenderloin, and give them 1-2 minutes more if it has not been reached.
The acidity of the buttermilk makes the meat tender and juicy, and the marinade helps the seasoned flour stick better. The chicken should marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, and 2-4 hours makes it even more tender.
Yes. If you want them spicier, you can turn up the cayenne pepper in the flour or stir a little chilli sauce into the marinade. Smoked paprika gives a deeper flavour, and if they need to be completely mild for children, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.
Recipe
Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Ingredients
- 500 g chicken tenderloins (Whole tenderloins, approx. 10-12 pieces)
- 3 dl buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Breading
- 100 g plain flour
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
- 2 pcs eggs
- 120 g panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (For brushing)
Serving
- 1 dl barbecue sauce
- 1 dl ketchup
How to make it
Preparation
- Stir 3 dl buttermilk, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp garlic powder together in a bowl.
- Place 500 g chicken tenderloins in the marinade whole, and turn them over until they are completely covered. Cover the bowl and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix 100 g plain flour, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a deep plate.
- Whisk 2 pcs eggs together in a second deep plate, and pour 120 g panko breadcrumbs into a third.
- Take one tenderloin at a time out of the marinade, and let the excess drip off. Turn it in the seasoned flour, dip it in the beaten egg, and finally turn it in the panko.
- Press the panko firmly onto both sides with your hands, so the breading stays on. Place the breaded tenderloins on a dish while you bread the rest.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place the tenderloins in a single layer in the air fryer basket with a little space between them. If there is not room for all of them at once, cook them in two batches.
- Lightly brush the top of the tenderloins with half of the 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, and cook them at 200 °C for 6 minutes.
- Carefully turn the tenderloins with tongs, and brush the other side with the rest of the oil. Cook them at 200 °C for another 6 minutes, until the breading is golden and crispy.
- Check with a meat thermometer that the core temperature is 75 °C in the thickest tenderloin. Give them 1-2 more minutes at 200 °C if the temperature has not been reached.
Serving
- Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes, and serve it with fries, plus 1 dl barbecue sauce and 1 dl ketchup for dipping.
Our notes for the recipe
Use whole tenderloins – do not cut them into smaller pieces as you would for popcorn chicken, because they hold on to their juices better when left whole. Press the panko on firmly, and let the breaded tenderloins rest for a few minutes while the air fryer heats up, so the breading sets. Try using one hand for the flour and panko and the other for the egg, so the breading does not clump on your fingers. Place the tenderloins in a single layer with space between them, so the hot air can reach all the way around. If you have time, 2-4 hours in the buttermilk marinade makes the chicken even more tender. Variation:
Chicken Tenders are traditionally deep-fried, but in the air fryer the panko and a thin layer of oil give them a crispy crust. For more of a kick, you can increase the amount of cayenne pepper in the flour or stir a little chilli sauce into the marinade. Smoked paprika gives a deeper flavour, and if they need to be completely mild for children, the cayenne pepper can be left out. Serving:
Serve with fries, barbecue sauce and ketchup. Cook the fries first, and warm them for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer at 200 °C while the chicken rests, so everything is hot at the same time. Coleslaw or a green salad also goes well with it. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. Allow 12 minutes per batch, and give the first batch 1-2 minutes in the air fryer at the end, so all the tenderloins are hot and crispy when served.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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