Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Easy and Crispy)

Easy and crispy air fryer chicken tenders perfect for your next meal prep. Panko breaded chicken tenders washed with egg whites are so easy to make, low in calories, and high in protein. Making them the perfect macro friendly chicken tender for both you and your family!

I absolutely love my air fryer, it is so easy to make delicious recipes that are crispy but healthier! Do you love golden french fries, or crunchy potato chips? You can make those with your air fryer too without all of that oil.

I asked for an air fryer one year for my birthday, I still have it and I love it! I will link the one that I have below:

GoWISE USA Air Fryer

It is so cute and looks like a little spaceship!

The only complaint that I have involving the airy fryer is that it is a bit large and you definitely need to find a space to store it! I would not recommend storing it on your counter because it will take up a lot of space.

My favorite airy fryer tip for you? Line the bottom of the basked with tin foil. It makes for a lot easier of a clean up and it still makes the items in the air fryer delicious and crispy.

Okay, so enough chat about the glorious air fryer, now let’s get to talking about these crispy air fryer chicken tenders.

What ingredients do you need to make the air fryer chicken tenders?

• • Chicken Breast Tenderloins: If these freak you out you can also get sliced chicken breast. I always make sure to remove the small white thingy from the chicken, either by slicing into or chopping it off.
  • 3tbsp Liquid Egg Whites: These are necessary in order to allow the bread crumbs to stick to the chicken!
  • â…“ cup Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs: I like to use Kikkoman, this is just my favorite brand for no particular reason! But, panko bread crumbs are definitely the move, they make the chicken just crunchier and crispier and it’s delicious! If you do not want to use whole wheat bread crumbs you can use white!

How do you make air fryer chicken tenders?

1. Okay here it goes, as I said, I always rinse my chicken, and then remove the white tenderloin by either slicing into the chicken or just chopping off the end
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
3. Grab two separate bowls and fill one with the liquid egg whites and the other with whole wheat panko bread crumbs
4. Tip — line your air fryer basket with tin foil
5. Start by dipping the chicken in the egg whites, then dipped them in the panko, flipped to coat both sides
6. Place the chicken tenders in the bottom of the air fryer basket
7. Repeat this process until you have filled the bottom of the air fryer basket. I would not recommend layering the chicken, the bread crumbs will stick and they will not cook evenly. Because of this you may have to cook a few pieces of chicken separately depending on how big your air fryer is.
8. Cook each batch of chicken at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy!
9. These are great right out of the air fryer (once you allow them to cool) or you can store them to eat throughout the week! If you do store them in your fridge you may notice the bread crumbs soften up a bit, have no fear, you can just preheat them in the air fryer at 350 for 2 to 5 minutes!

More Chicken Recipes that you will love:

• Meal Prep Buffalo Chicken
• Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
• BBQ Grilled Chicken Bowl
• Honey Cilantro Chicken
• Easy Chicken Meatballs
• CrockPot Buffalo Chicken
• Healthy Chicken and Broccoli
• Chicken Tamale Bake
• Buffalo Chicken “Spaghetti”

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long do you cook chicken tenders in the air fryer?

It depends how many chicken tenders you have, but in this case if you are using the entire package 5-6 minutes each side is the best way to go to make sure they are fully cooked and nice and crispy.

Are the air fryer chicken tenders macro friendly?

Yes, very macro friendly! Because you are not using any oil to deep fry these they are very low in fat, and high in protein.The nutrition per serving is only 110 calories, 5.2 carbs. 0.6 fat, and 20.3 grams of protein!

Are air fried chicken tenders healthy?

To answer this question I think everything is healthy in moderation but in terms of nutrition and lack of oil these chicken tenders are pretty healthy! With minimal ingredients and high amounts of protein per serving these chicken tenders are very healthy! 

Can you make air fryer chicken tenders with panko?

Yes, this air fryer chicken tender recipe specifically uses panko breadcrumbs because they make the tenders extra crispy! No one wants a soggy chicken tender am I right?

Can you stack chicken strips in the air fryer? 

I would advise against this. I noted it above in the recipe instructions, but it is important the chicken tenders are evenly distributed along the bottom of the air fryer basket otherwise they will not cook or crisp up properly

Does panko work in the air fryer? 

Yes it works and crisps up perfectly. For this recipe it is important that you dip the chicken tenders in the egg whites first to make sure that the panko bread crumbs stick to the chicken.

Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?

Aluminum foil can be used in the air fryer, but it should only go in the air fryer basket. For this recipe the breadcrumbs can make quite a mess, the aluminum foil catches all of the breadcrumbs so they don’t fall down into the bottom and makes sure they stick to the chicken tenders as well as make it much easier to clean up.

Can you air fry without flour?

Yes you do not need flour for this chicken tender recipe, just egg whites and panko! The use of only panko still adds the crisp crunch you want in a chicken tender but they are much lighter!

How do I track this?

Search HNFit Air Fryer Chicken Tenders in My Fitness Pal for easy tracking.