These Naked Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are a staple in my household. I've made them literally hundreds of times. It's one of my favorite air fryer recipes for meal prepping. It's a versatile dish that's quick, easy, budget-friendly, and can be made in under 15 minutes.
QUICK AND EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN TENDERS RECIPE
SIMPLE. You'll love this recipe because it's simple, quick, and tastes just as good leftover. This is one of our favorite Air Fryer recipes because you can pair it with anything, and is a huge hit in any household, even for picky little ones.
HEALTHY. In addition, these naked tenders aren't battered or breaded, so you don't need to worry about that extra step! So, grab your Air Fryer and keep reading to see how you can whip up this chicken tenders recipe!
VERSATILE. Serve them with rice, french fries, tater tots, or a side salad. It's the perfect menu item for meal prepping.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN TENDERS IN THE AIR FRYER
- Olive Oil. We love to use olive oil to coat our chicken before seasoning or breading to allow things to stick and to stay moist and juicy.
- Chicken Tenders. Purchase these pre-cut or make them homemade with fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Ground Black Pepper. An essential seasoning for almost all of our favorite recipes.
- Garlic Powder. Nothing over the top, but just enough to give these tenders a delicious and light garlicky flavor.
- Onion Powder. Gives a light, savory taste.
- Paprika. Gives a light earthy flavor and added color.
HOW TO COOK THE BEST CHICKEN TENDERS IN THE AIR FRYER
Step 1 - Preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Prepare the Air Fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray if needed.
Step 2 - Using a cutting board, remove the tendon from the raw chicken tenders and add them to a medium-sized bowl.
Step 3 - Add the olive oil to the chicken tenders and toss them so that they are fully coated.
Step 4 - Add the seasonings to the chicken tenders and stir to coat them evenly.
Step 5 - Place the seasoned chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, flipping the chicken at the 5-minute mark. The chicken strips should be perfectly crispy and golden brown.
Step 6 - Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165º degrees F. If not, cook for an additional minute or two until ready.
Step 7 - Serve the cooked chicken with your favorite dipping sauces, such as BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or honey mustard sauce.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST AIR FRYER CHICKEN TENDERS
- Internal Temperature. It's important to use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the chicken's internal temperature is met. The recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F, or 74 degrees C.
- Crispy Chicken Tenders. If you are looking for crispy chicken tenders, consider using panko breadcrumbs, either regular or seasoned. To add breadcrumbs, you will want to create a dipping station with egg whisked in one bowl, breadcrumbs in one bowl, flour, and seasoning in the other. Dip into the flour mixture, the egg mixture, and the breadcrumbs. Then add to the air fryer and follow the air frying instructions.
- Flavor. Add Italian seasoning, chili powder, an egg wash topped with bread crumbs (see above), or lemon juice! In addition, you can skip the oil and use one of your favorite dry rubs on these Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders, which gives the chicken so much flavor.
- Cooking times. Air fryer models cook differently. The air fryer model we use cooks these chicken tenders perfectly at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
- To Store: Add leftover chicken tenders to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Place the chicken tenders into the air fryer and reheat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes or until the tenders are heated.
- To Freeze: Add the chicken tenders to an airtight container in a single layer. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat the chicken tenders directly from the freezer when ready.
FAQs FOR AIR FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS
Ketchup. It's one of my kid's favorites and usually the number-one choice at the table.
Honey Mustard. One of my favorite light and spicy, yet tangy dipping sauces.
BBQ Sauce. Always a great choice, and it always hits the spot.
Honey. You can't go wrong dipping these tenders in some sweet honey.
Ranch. Probably the number two selection for the kiddos at this household.
Buffalo Sauce. Give these tenders a little spice with some yummy homemade buffalo sauce.
Chili Sauce. Another great option to add some heat to this dish.
Yes! Since these chicken fingers are grilled, there's no excess oil or batter, making this dish Weight Watchers and low carb friendly!
You can pair this recipe with Air Fryer French Fries, Air Fryer Green Bean Casserole, Air Fryer Fryer Broccoli, a simple side salad, potato salad, rice, vegetables, or any other favorite sides you like!
Add breading to the chicken tenders, and only use the recommended amount of oil or cooking spray to make them crispy. Too much oil can make your chicken tenders greasy, and they won't crisp up.
It doesn't take long to cook these grilled chicken tenders in the air fryer with no breading. You should only need 15 minutes to have the most delicious and flavorful grilled chicken tenders.
Yes! All you have to do is cut the tenderloins into small, bite-sized pieces and put them in the Air Fryer. However, the chicken pieces may cook faster than the tenders, so you'll need to reduce the cooking time.
Take a piece of parchment paper and line the rack or baking sheet. The parchment paper prevents the oil and chicken juice from getting all over your Air Fryer, making cleanup much easier!
Of course! You will need to slice the chicken into smaller strips; otherwise, the steps are all the same.
Pull out the tendon by holding the nub and pressing down on the tenderloin with your fork. The tendon should come right out. If not, cut out the tendon with a sharp knife to keep the tenderloin intact as much as possible.
I hope you enjoy these air fryer chicken tenders as much as we do. You might also enjoy a few of our other favorite air fryer chicken recipes.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
📖 Recipe
Naked Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 10 chicken tenders
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes. Prepare the Air Fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray.
- Using a cutting board, remove the tendon from the raw chicken tenders and add them to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the olive oil to the chicken tenders and toss them so that they are fully coated.
- Add the seasonings to the chicken tenders and coat them.
- Place the seasoned chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400ºF for 10 minutes, flipping the chicken at the 5-minute mark. The chicken strips should be perfectly crispy and golden brown.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165º degrees F. If not, cook for additional minutes until ready.
- Serve the cooked chicken with your favorite dipping sauces, such as BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or honey mustard sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2024
Laura D
Super easy to make and very tasteful
Thank you! So glad you like them!
Cheryl
I have a new stove that has an air fryer built in, will these instruction work
Yes, and I also have one. I have to adjust the cook time a little in the oven air fryer versus my countertop air fryer. I usually add a little time.
Susan
Very tasty and crispy but very dry. What can I do to add moisture without adding too much fat?
You could consider spraying these with avocado oil.
Michelle
I added a dash of salt and might cut back on the black pepper when making for my daughter who doesn't like the kick of pepper. Otherwise, it was great and so quick. This is what I need during a week night, 15 minutes or less. I paired it with a Texas bourbon sauce I bought in a bottle at HEB and it was a hit.
That sounds delish!!!
CC
Our kiddo too said too much pepper. Honestly I agree with him. Otherwise will make these again with probably 1/4 the pepper.
Gina
I was looking for an easy healthy and simple way to cook some chicken filets and this worked great for that - just had to adjust the timing a bit, but same prep.
YAY! SO glad you like them 🙂