If your kids love chicken tenders but you’re tired of reaching for the frozen bag every time, these air fryer chicken tenders are the homemade version you’ve been looking for. Crispy, juicy, and so much better than anything from a packet.
My kids would eat these air fryer crispy chicken tenders for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if it were up to them. There’s a yogurt and dill marinade that keeps them really juicy, and the parmesan-sesame panko coating gets so crispy in the air fryer that you’d never guess they weren’t deep fried.
Don’t forget to make the dill dip that comes with this recipe. I know it sounds like an extra step, but it takes two minutes and completely elevates the dish. Between these, our chicken katsu bowl, and air fryer chicken tikka, the air fryer hasn’t had a day off in our house.
Ingredients for Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Breast: Cut into 4-inch-long, 1-inch-wide strips. You’ll get about 6-7 strips from one large breast.
- Marinade: Whisked curds, egg, grated garlic, dill leaves, Italian seasoning, honey, salt, and crushed pepper.
- Coating: Panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, and black and white sesame seeds.
- Dill Dip: Whisked curds, grated garlic, honey, dill, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, milk, and salt.
- Oil: Groundnut or any neutral cooking oil for spraying before air frying.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Marinate for at least 3-4 hours. This isn’t a recipe where you can skip the marinating time. The yogurt and dill need time to work into the chicken, and the difference between 30 minutes and 4 hours is very noticeable.
- Spray oil on the breadcrumb mix before coating. A light spray of oil on the panko mixture helps it fry evenly and turn golden in the air fryer instead of staying pale and dry.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Leave a little gap between each strip so the hot air circulates properly. Overcrowding means uneven cooking and a soggy coating on the sides where the strips touch.
- Flip once and spray oil again halfway through. This ensures both sides get equally crispy and golden. One flip at the 4-minute mark is all you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are chicken tenders?
Chicken tenders are long, thin strips cut from the breast. They cook quickly, stay juicy, and are perfect for coating and frying because of their even shape. They’re a favourite with kids but honestly, adults love them just as much.
How long do you cook chicken tenders in the air fryer?
About 7-8 minutes total at 200°C. Four minutes on one side, flip, spray oil, and another 3-4 minutes on the other side. They should be golden and crispy on the outside and cooked through on the inside.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
You can, but the strips won’t hold their shape as neatly since thigh meat is softer. Breast works better here because you get uniform strips that cook evenly and hold the coating well.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store cooked chicken tenders and the dill dip separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Keeping them apart prevents the coating from getting soggy.
- Freezing: You can freeze the marinated, uncooked strips (without the coating) for up to two weeks. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, coat in the panko mixture, and air fry fresh. Cooked tenders don’t freeze well as the coating loses its crunch.
- Reheating tip: Pop leftover tenders back in the air fryer at 180°C for 3-4 minutes to crisp them up again. Avoid the microwave as it turns the coating soft and chewy.
Serving Ideas
These healthy chicken tenders are great as a snack on their own with the dill dip, but here are a few ways to turn them into a bigger meal:
- With French Fries: Chicken tenders and fries are a classic for a reason. Make a batch of these alongside the tenders, and you’ve got a proper homemade version of everyone’s favourite fast food meal.
- With Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries: If you want a lighter option on the side, these sweet potato fries are crispy, easy, and keep the whole meal in the air fryer.
- With Asian Slaw: Something crunchy and tangy on the side cuts through the richness of the coating and pairs really well with the dill dip.
- As a wrap: Slice the tenders, tuck them into a warm tortilla with some slaw and a generous drizzle of the dill dip.
Once your air fryer starts making chicken tenders this good, you won’t want to stop there. We’ve got a whole collection of air fryer recipes on the blog that are just as quick as this air fryer chicken tenders recipe. When you make these, come share your pictures with me on Instagram @my_foodstory I’d love to see your versions.
Watch The Recipe Video
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
For marinade
- 8 chicken tenders
- 2 teaspoons grated garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill leaves
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup greek yogurt whisked
- 1 egg
Crumb Coating
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ tablespoon black sesame seeds
- ½ tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons groundnut oil or any neutral cooking oil
For dill dip
- ¼ cup greek yogurt whisked
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill leaves
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped mint leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Take chicken strips in a bowl, add rest of the ingredients for the marinade, mix well and set aside for 3-4 hours.
- Take all the ingredients for dill dip in a bowl, whisk well and refrigerate until using.
- Pre-heat the air fryer at 200C.
- Take bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, black & white sesame seeds in a wide bowl or plate and mix well. Spray a little oil so it helps to fry well.
- Roll each marinated chicken strip on the bread crumbs mix and ensure it’s coated well on both the sides.
- Place the chicken strips in the air fryer with a little gap between each so it gets fried uniformly and spray oil on each.
- Air fry at 200 C for 4 minutes, flip once, spray oil on each and air fry at 200 C for 3-4 minutes till they turn golden and crisp.
- Serve with the dill dip.
Video
Nutrition
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