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These Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Tenders are the easiest way to get juicy, flavorful chicken on the table in under 15 minutes—no breading and no grill required. The air fryer’s high, circulating heat creates a lightly charred, golden exterior that gives you that grilled-style finish on these naked chicken tenders without stepping outside.
This is one of those go-to recipes I make on repeat for quick dinners and meal prep. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and versatile enough to use in salads, wraps, or bowls. If you want to switch up the flavor, try my air fryer blackened chicken tenders or air fryer honey garlic chicken tenders next.
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Savory, lightly seasoned chicken with a subtle grilled-style char
- ⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Total time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🥄 Tools: Air fryer, mixing bowl, tongs
- ❄️ Freezer-friendly: Yes, freeze cooked tenders in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Preheat the air fryer and pat the chicken dry to get that golden, lightly charred exterior.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick, easy, and no mess: Ready in under 15 minutes with no breading, egg wash, or extra cleanup.
- Light but satisfying: High in protein, low in carbs, and naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Super versatile: Perfect for dinner, meal prep, or adding to salads, wraps, and bowls. Pair them with rice, air fryer frozen French fries, air-fried tater tots, or a side salad to complete your meal.
- Family-friendly flavor: Juicy, simple seasoning that tastes like grilled chicken and even picky eaters enjoy.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Olive Oil. Olive oil coats the chicken, helping the seasoning to stick to the chicken and keeping it moist and juicy during cooking.
- Chicken Tenders. Purchase pre-cut chicken tenderloins, or you can slice boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch strips.
- Seasoning: A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and paprika seasons the chicken, helping give your air-fried chicken tenders the flavors of grilling.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with quantities.
Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Tenders Variations
Switch up the flavor of these naked air fryer chicken tenders with simple seasoning swaps. All of these variations are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you can mix and match based on what you have on hand.
- Kid-Friendly: Reduce or omit the black pepper and skip any added heat.
- Smoky: Swap the paprika for smoked paprika and add a pinch of cumin for a deeper, slightly bold flavor that mimics grilled chicken.
- Spicy: Increase the black pepper and add cayenne or chili powder for heat. Adjust to taste depending on your spice preference.
- Italian Herb: Use a blend of dried oregano, basil, garlic powder, and parsley for a classic, herb-forward flavor that pairs well with pasta or salads.
- Ranch-Style: Use a few teaspoons of homemade ranch seasoning for easy flavor.
- BBQ-Inspired: Add paprika, brown sugar (or a sugar substitute), garlic powder, and a pinch of chili powder for a slightly sweet and smoky profile.
For nugget-style chicken pieces, try these air fryer chicken bites or air-fried bacon wrapped chicken bites.
How to Cook Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
To get started, remove the tendons from the raw chicken tenders using the fork and paper towel method. Hold the end of the white tendon with a paper towel (this gives you a better grip), then slide the tendon through the tines of a fork while pulling firmly. The fork holds the chicken in place while the tendon pulls free in one smooth motion.
- Place the chicken tenderloins in a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the olive oil and then add the seasonings. 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. 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, and the internal temperature should be 165º degrees F. If not, cook for an additional minute or two until ready.
- Serve the cooked chicken with your favorite dipping sauces, such as BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or honey mustard sauce, and a couple of easy sides. We love air fryer frozen corn on the cob and air fryer green bean casserole.
Expert Tips
- Cooking Time May Vary: Air fryer models cook differently, so use timing as a guide and adjust by a minute or two as needed. In our air fryer, these chicken tenders cook perfectly at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, but I’ve noticed in my oven-style air fryer, they need a bit more time.
- Remove the Tendon: The white strip can be tough and chewy, so removing it before cooking helps keep the chicken tender and easy to eat.
- Preheat for Best Results: Always preheat your air fryer. Starting in a hot basket helps create that lightly seared, grilled-style exterior.
- Pat Chicken Dry: Blot the chicken with paper towels before adding the oil and seasoning so the outside browns instead of steaming.
- Let Them Rest: Allow the tenders to rest for about 2 minutes after cooking so the juices can redistribute.
- Cook in Batches if Needed: Avoid overcrowding the basket. Leave space between pieces so the air can circulate and cook everything evenly with a golden finish.
Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders Recipe FAQs
They take about 10 minutes to cook at 350° F in the air fryer, flipping once halfway through cooking. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your chicken and your air fryer, so it’s recommended to check the internal temperature to determine the chicken is done cooking. Chicken should be cooked to 165°F.
The easy way is to pull out the tendon by holding the nub of the tendon (use a paper towel for a more secure grip) 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.
Store leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. To reheat, place the chicken tenders into the air fryer and reheat at 350° F for 2-3 minutes or until the tenders are heated. You can reheat them straight from the freezer by lowering the temperature to 325°F and extending the cooking a few minutes.
Yes, you can absolutely make grilled-style chicken tenders without a grill.
An air fryer is one of the best ways to do it. The high, circulating heat creates a lightly charred, seared exterior while keeping the inside juicy, so you get that grilled flavor and texture without firing up the grill. You can also use a stovetop grill pan or cast-iron skillet. Preheat it well, add a little oil, and cook the tenders over medium-high heat, flipping once, until they’re cooked through and nicely browned on the outside. In all cases, the key is high heat, a dry surface on the chicken, and not overcrowding for that “grilled” result.
Serving Suggestions
- Pair your air-fried grilled chicken tenders with air fryer broccoli, a side salad with air fryer croutons, potato salad, rice, vegetables, or any other favorite sides you like for a simple meal.
- For a kid-friendly dinner, we love it with air fryer macaroni and cheese!
- Don’t forget the sauces. Ketchup is one of my kids’ favorites and usually the number-one choice at the table. Honey mustard, BBQ sauce, honey, ranch dip, or buffalo sauce (like these air fryer buffalo chicken wings) all work well.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Dinner
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Dinner
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Appetizers
Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
Chicken
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
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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
- Adjust Cook Time as Needed: Air fryer models vary, so use the timing as a guide and adjust by 1–2 minutes if needed. Basket-style air fryers typically cook these at 400°F (200°C) in about 10 minutes, while oven-style models may need a little longer.
- Remove the Tendon: Trim out the white strip before cooking to avoid a tough, chewy texture and keep the tenders more enjoyable to eat.
- Preheat First: Preheating the air fryer helps create that lightly seared, grilled-style exterior right from the start.
- Pat Dry Before Seasoning: Blot the chicken dry, then add oil and seasoning so the outside browns instead of steaming.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the tenders rest for about 2 minutes after cooking so the juices can redistribute.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Arrange in a single layer with space between pieces. Cook in batches if needed so they cook evenly and develop a golden finish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Awesome
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 ๐
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!!!
Our kiddo too said too much pepper. Honestly I agree with him. Otherwise will make these again with probably 1/4 the pepper.
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.
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.
Super easy to make and very tasteful
Thank you! So glad you like them!