These crispy air fryer chicken tenders are so tender and juicy coated in a flavourful crumb that is anything but dry. Made in the air fryer, these dairy-free chicken tenders are quick to cook and are delicious served in a wrap, on a salad, or on their own with my honey mustard dipping sauce.
Chicken tenders are often considered a kid’s food but to me they are an essential easy and delicious protein to have for a weeknight dinner or lunch either as is, on a salad or in a wrap.
When I worked in my busy 9-5 job I often survived on the crumbed chicken tenders that you buy in a box from the frozen section of the supermarket. I loved them because they were quick and easy to cook in my air fryer and were super versatile.
The issue with these however is that they aren’t actually that good. The chicken is quite processed and the crumbs are often so dry you need a lot of sauce to counter it.
I talked a lot about my love of crumbed chicken in my air fryer chicken schnitzel post and I absolutely love making those at home using my air fryer. So naturally it made sense that I should also be making my own, from scratch, crispy chicken tenders in the air fryer.
The result is that I may not be able to eat any other version of chicken tenders again! The chicken is incredibly moist and tender and the crumbs are so full of flavour and super crunchy.
A crunchy chicken wrap will always be my favourite way to enjoy these tenders but honestly just dunking these in my quick and simple honey mustard sauce is a very close second.
Key Ingredients
There is nothing too unusual about what you’ll need to make these chicken tenders. Once you have your chicken, most other ingredients should be pantry staples.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken tenderloins – we’re using one pack of chicken tenderloins but you can also chop up chicken breast into strips.
- Dairy free milk and white vinegar – combined, these make a dairy free buttermilk. While not an essential step if you want chicken tenders fast, it’s going to make the chicken SO MUCH more juicy and prevent the chicken from being dry which is a common issue when cooking tenderloins due to their low fat content. I use oat milk but soy milk or almond milk will also work.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US, this is our first step in the crumbing process that is going to make sure the breadcrumbs actually stick to the chicken and don’t just end up in the bottom of your air fryer.
- Spices – it’s essential that at all steps the chicken gains seasoning as this is going to ensure the tenders are super flavourful and not at all bland. We’re using a combination of garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika along with salt and pepper in both the flour and breadcrumbs. You can adjust the seasoning as you like, adding in some cayenne pepper for spice or even dried herbs like oregano or parsley.
- Eggs – to make the chicken nice and sticky so that the breadcrumbs hold.
- Panko breadcrumbs – I prefer panko when breading because they are lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs but you can use any that you prefer.
Step-By-Step Instructions
As with any recipe that involves crumbing or breading, you’ll need a little bit of patience and preparation as you set up your crumbing station.
When using chicken tenderloins I always prefer to remove the tough, white tendon as I don’t find this pleasant to eat when left in. However this is entirely optional. If you do want to remove it, I’ve discovered that the easiest way to do it without butchering your piece of chicken is to use kitchen scissors.
Just hold the tendon and snip down underneath it until it detaches. Easy!
From here, we’re going to give the chicken tenders a soak for 30 minutes in a dairy free buttermilk made by combining dairy free milk and white vinegar. This step just really makes sure we get juicy and flavourful chicken rather than dry so if you have time, I definitely recommend doing it.
Next is setting up that crumbing station. You’re going to need 3 shallow bowls. In the ingredients list you’ll notice the spices are listed out twice, this is because we want to add the flavour to both the flour mixture and the breadcrumbs.
In one bowl, mix together the plain flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs. And finally in the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Working with one tenderloin at a time, allow any excess milk to drip off the chicken before dredging it through first the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Use your hand to press the breadcrumbs into the chicken to ensure it sticks. Set aside on a plate and repeat until they are all coated.
Preheat your air fryer or simply run it at 200°C/400°F for 5 minutes. Spray the basket with cooking oil and place the chicken tenders in the bottom, leaving a slight gap between them so that the air can circulate. You will likely need to do this step in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Give the top of the chicken tenders a spray with the cooking oil and then cook for 10-12 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your chicken, turning halfway. The best way to know when the chicken is done is by using a meat thermometer. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F.
Serve the chicken tenders immediately while still hot and crispy however you prefer but definitely with honey mustard dipping sauce.
What to serve with chicken tenders
I mean these chicken tenders are super versatile you can really serve them however you want, but a few options include:
- As a crispy chicken option in my chicken and bacon ranch wraps.
- With a side of sweet potato fries or oven-baked potato wedges.
- Surely it’s not just me that loves crispy chicken with a creamy dairy free mac and cheese?
- You can never go wrong with this dairy free potato salad. It’s a favourite for a reason!
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can! Just like with my spicy chicken burgers, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce to the egg mixture and then ½ teaspoon chilli powder plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the breadcrumbs. Adjust the quantities depending on your spice tolerance.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make these in the oven. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F fan forced and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place your crumbed chicken tenders on the tray and drizzle them with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through or until golden and the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F.
More air fryer recipes:
Air Fryer Salmon Bowls
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Crispy Chickpeas
Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
Air Fryer Chicken Schnitzel
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
For the crumbing:
- ½ cup plain flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Optional: if you prefer, trim the tendon from the chicken tenders. I find this the easiest to do with kitchen scissors but a sharp knife works as well.
- Soak the chicken: In a bowl, add the dairy free milk and white vinegar to create a dairy free buttermilk. Add the chicken tenders and mix to combine. Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Prepare your crumb station: gather three shallow bowls and into one, mix together the plain flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs. Finally in the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Coat the chicken: working with one at a time, allow any excess milk to drip off the chicken tenderloin before dredging it through first the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Use your hand to press the breadcrumbs into the chicken to ensure it sticks. Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining tenders.
- Cook the chicken: preheat the air fryer at 200°C/400°F for 5 minutes. Spray the basket with cooking oil and place the chicken tenders in the bottom, leaving a slight gap between them so that the air can circulate. You will likely need to do this step in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Give the top of the chicken tenders a spray with the cooking oil and then cook for 10-12 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your chicken, turning halfway through. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 75°C/165°F.
- Serve the chicken tenders immediately while still hot and crispy with honey mustard dipping sauce (recipe in notes).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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