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Making chicken tenders from scratch is easy following my Air Fryer Chicken Strips recipe! Using a simple, easy, and mess-free cornstarch batter, these homemade chicken tenders are the perfect blend of crispy, flavorful, and wholesome. They're even low carb and gluten-free!
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Why You'll Love My Air Fryer Chicken Strips
- Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Strips
- How to Cook Chicken Tenders in an Air Fryer
- Sauces for Chicken Tenders
- How Long to Air Fry Chicken Tenders
- Expert Tips
- Storing and Reheating Leftover Chicken Tenders
- FAQ
- Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Strips
- Reviews
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Honestly, what meal could be more fun and comforting than chicken tenders? I love making homemade chicken tenders for my grandkids. If I'm not making my Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, you can bet I'm making this air fryer chicken strips recipe!
Air fryer chicken tenders from scratch are easier to make than you might think. These breaded chicken fingers are perfect, with just enough breading to be crunchy and bursting with flavor, but not so much that it's more breading than meat. Plus, they're gluten-free and low carb, so everyone can enjoy them!
Try out my recipe for chicken strips in the air fryer, and I know you'll want to make them this way every single time! It's just so easy.
Why You'll Love My Air Fryer Chicken Strips
They're low carb and gluten free
By using cornstarch instead of flour, these air fried chicken tenders form the most amazing crunchy coating without the need for flour. This means they're low carb and gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy them! As someone with a gluten free loved one, I know that it's hard to find good gluten free chicken fingers. These are delicious!
They don't make a mess
I love making my own breaded chicken, but it can be very messy. Dipping the chicken tenders and coating them with breading takes forever and leaves too much cleanup, between dishes and cleaning the counters. That's why I love my recipe for air fryer chicken tenders. With my recipe, you can coat the tenders quickly, easily, and mess-free.
They're done in under 20 minutes
Yes, you read that right: these homemade chicken tenders are fully cooked and ready to eat in the same amount of time as frozen tenders. If it sounds like a dream come true, it is! These juicy, dangerously addictive chicken tenders are a regular at my house now, and I love using the leftovers for salads, sandwiches, and more!
Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Strips
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: You can also use chicken tenderloins, which are chicken breasts sliced down to be a more convenient size! If you're using whole breasts, slice them in half lengthwise so they're a perfect chicken strip size.
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: Either olive oil or avocado oil will work great! Use your favorite; I like avocado oil for the neutral flavor!
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used instead of flour in this recipe, as it has a lot of unique features. It thickens beautifully to make a fully coating sauce, crisps up into a crunchy coating, and has no gluten, making it safe for your wheat sensitive loved ones.
- Chicken Seasoning: I highly recommend using my homemade chicken seasoning rub, but you can use pre-made mixes, too! Just make sure the salt content is low, or adjust the salt you add to the recipe.
- Paprika: I love using smoked paprika when I have it for the unique flavor, but plain paprika is great, too.
- Kosher salt: Watch the amount of salt; if you're using seasoning mixes that contain salt, cut back on how much salt you add.
- Black pepper: I actually recommend not using freshly cracked black pepper unless your grinder makes a very fine grind; the large cracked pieces can be unpleasant to bite into.
- Garlic powder: Garlic powder is mellow and delicious on chicken fingers, as it adds all that garlic flavor without being too overpowering.
- Onion powder: Similar to the garlic powder, onion powder adds a nice sweetness without the zing and spice of raw onions.
- Cayenne: A personal favorite, but I love adding a bit of cayenne to add a tiny kick of heat! Leave it out if you don't like spice.
How to Cook Chicken Tenders in an Air Fryer
1: Mix the Coating
Add all ingredients except the chicken into a large bowl and mix well, until the seasonings are fully combined. You can do this with the chicken in the bowl too, if desired.
2: Coat Chicken
Add the chicken and toss well until it's fully coated with the breading sauce. While coating, preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
3: Air Fry
Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer and air fry at 400°F for 4 minutes per side for thin pieces, or 8 minutes for thick ones. Remove once the chicken measures 165°F using an instant read thermometer.
4: Serve!
Remove from the air fryer, serve with your favorite sauces, and enjoy!
Sauces for Chicken Tenders
Of course, nothing's wrong with classics like ketchup and honey mustard!
How Long to Air Fry Chicken Tenders
How long it takes to air fry chicken tenders depends on the thickness of the tenders. For thicker chicken tenders, 8 minutes tends to work perfectly. For thinner tenders, try 4 minutes. Every air fryer is different, so use a meat thermometer and my chicken temperature chart to make sure they reach the safe internal temp.
Expert Tips
- Try to cut the chicken breasts into strips of equal thickness so they all cook evenly.
- If you want, you can toss the chicken in flour after coating it, or dip them in panko breadcrumbs.
- Spritzing or wiping the air fryer basket down with oil before adding the chicken will help keep the coating from sticking to the metal.
- For thinner, crispier chicken fingers, pound the chicken breasts flat with a meat mallet before slicing them into strips.
- Optional flavors: Add in parmesan cheese, garlic salt, or dried herbs for all sorts of delicious twists. You can also add chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano for tasty taco chicken fingers. Try all sorts of different spices for new flavor combos!
Isabel's Top Tip
You should always measure the temperature with a meat thermometer when you cook chicken, especially when it's breaded. This is the only reliable way to ensure that the meat is completely cooked through without wildly overcooking the meat and turning it tough. I recommend this instant read thermometer- I've used it for years, and it has always served me well.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Chicken Tenders
- Refrigerator: Leftover chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: I love batch cooking chicken tenders for easy meals later in the week! Just place the chicken tenders in a freezer-safe bag, then press all the air out. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Important note: Don't freeze chicken tenders if you made them with chicken that came frozen. Thawing and then re-freezing chicken encourages bacteria growth.
- These tenders are perfect for making ahead as they have less breading than the average chicken finger, meaning they won't get soft or soggy when reheated.
- Thawing: Frozen chicken tenders should be thawed in the fridge overnight, or can be reheated from frozen in the air fryer for 12 minutes at 400°F, or in the oven for 20 minutes at 400°F.
- Reheating: Thawed tenders can be reheated in the microwave, in the air fryer for 6 minutes at 400°F, or in the oven for 10 minutes at 400°F.
FAQ
By using only a small amount of cornstarch for breading, this recipe makes the perfect keto chicken tenders. They're crispy, delicious, and super low carb.
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour or gluten free flour instead of cornstarch if you want. I recommend using a little more flour as it doesn't thicken quite the same as cornstarch.
You can!The air fryer is essentially a small convection oven, after all! To make this recipe in the oven, set the oven to 400°F and place the chicken fingers on a drying rack layered over a baking sheet. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 10 minutes.
Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Pork Chops in the Air Fryer - one of my reader-favorite recipes, these pork chops are juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside!
- Air Fried Shrimp Tacos - Using easy and perfectly cooked shrimp that cook in the air fryer in only minutes, these tacos are a delicious and easy lunch or dinner.
- Crispy Air Fried Mushrooms - One of my favorite game day snacks, these crunchy, juicy air fried mushrooms are just bursting with flavor.
- Air Fried Pork Ribs - BBQ pork ribs without turning on the grill or oven! They turn out so tender, and you'll never believe the perfect crust.
- Crispy Air Fried Chicken Wings - If you're looking for perfectly crispy chicken wings without deep frying, this is the recipe for you!
I love making these crispy, tasty chicken strips in the air fryer for a fun family dinner or game day. They're reliable, quick, and not at all messy, which in my book is a huge plus! Let me know what you think in the comments below and with a rating.
Air Fryer Chicken Strips
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken tenderloins - or chicken breasts
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil - or avocado oil
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Chicken Seasoning - of choice, optional
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the chicken into a large bowl and mix well, until the seasonings are fully combined.3 Tablespoons Olive oil,2 Tablespoons Cornstarch,1 Tablespoon Chicken Seasoning,1 teaspoon Paprika,½ teaspoon Kosher salt,½ teaspoon Black pepper,½ teaspoon Garlic powder,½ teaspoon Onion powder,½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- Add the chicken and toss well until it's fully coated with the breading sauce. While coating, preheat the air fryer to 400°F.1 lb Chicken tenderloins
- Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer and air fry at 400°F for 4 minutes per side for thin pieces, or 8 minutes for thick ones. Remove once the chicken measures 165°F using an instant read thermometer.
- Remove from the air fryer, serve with your favorite sauces, and enjoy!
Notes
- Try to cut the chicken breasts into strips of equal thickness so they all cook evenly.
- If you want, you can toss the chicken in flour after coating it, or dip them in panko breadcrumbs.
- Spritzing or wiping the air fryer basket down with oil before adding the chicken will help keep the coating from sticking to the metal.
- For thinner, crispier chicken fingers, pound the chicken breasts flat with a meat mallet before slicing them into strips.
- Optional flavors: Add in parmesan cheese, garlic salt, or dried herbs for all sorts of delicious twists. You can also add chili powder, cumin, and Mexican oregano for tasty taco chicken fingers. Try all sorts of different spices for new flavor combos!
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