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Learn to cook chicken tenderloins in the air fryer perfectly; juicy, delicious and easy. Ready in just 8 minutes, a secret trick ensures they never dry out!
I love cooking chicken in my air fryer. It’s fast, requires minimal prep, and honestly, turns out perfect every time. I’ve done it with chicken drumsticks, chicken breast, chicken thighs, and even air fryer chicken wings. My family’s favorite cut, though, is cooking up chicken tenders.
My tenderloins are always crispy on the outside, juicy and moist on the inside, and perfectly seasoned.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients needed
- How to make air fried chicken tenderloins
- How long does it take to cook tenderloins in the air fryer?
- Recipe tips and flavor variations
- Storage instructions
- What to serve with air fried tenders
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins (Recipe Card)
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients. Easy, everyday ingredients that you probably have in your pantry!
- Quick. Air frying means time-saving- this recipe takes less than 10 minutes.
- Versatile. I often make this for my family for a quick weeknight dinner. All that’s needed is a couple of sides and a salad, and it’s a well-balanced meal.
- No breading is needed. Sure, you can use breaded tenders, but you won’t miss the panko breadcrumbs with my recipe. Bonus? It’s naturally low carb, keto, and gluten-free.
What I love the most about air fryer chicken tenders is just how easy they are to customize. Keep it simple with some spices or marinate it in some sauces, dressings, or a chicken marinade.
Ingredients needed
There isn’t much more than chicken and spices to make this recipe. As we mentioned earlier, there is no breading. Here is what you’ll need:
- Chicken tenderloins – If you can’t find chicken tenders or tenderloins, you can use regular boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into large strips (I often do this for pan-fried chicken tenderloins or baked chicken tenderloins).
- Spices- I keep things simple by using smoked paprika, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Olive oil – You can use any other neutral flavored oil.
- Parsley and lemon slices – To garnish.
How to make air fried chicken tenderloins
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Besides seasoning the chicken, there is little hands-on time required for this recipe. In fact, the air fryer takes care of all the hard work. Ready to air fryer some tenders?
Step 1- Preheat the air fryer. Start by preheating the air fryer to 190C/ 375F. Also, lightly grease the air fryer basket to prevent the chicken from sticking to it.
Step 2- Season the tenderloins. Next, add the chicken tenderloins and some oil to a mixing bowl. Add the spice mixture and mix well until combined.
Step 3- Add the chicken. Now, add the chicken tenders to the air fryer basket without overcrowding and in a single layer.
Step 3- Air fry the tenders. Air fry for at least 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 5- Rest and serve. Finally, transfer to a serving dish and rest the chicken for 5 minutes. Give a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped parsley to serve.
How long does it take to cook tenderloins in the air fryer?
Chicken tenderloins typically take 7-10 minutes to cook in the air fryer. Of course, this depends on the thickness of the chicken.
For thicker cuts, instead of increasing the cooking time, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. If it is at least 165F, the chicken is cooked.
Recipe tips and flavor variations
- Ensure you have greased the air fryer basket to prevent the spices and chicken from sticking to it.
- If needed, cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
- To spice up your recipe, add spices like cayenne pepper, chili pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- Always choose tenderloins of a similar size, so that they cook evenly and completely.
- If I’m serving a crowd, I like to pair the crispy air fryer chicken tenders with some favorite dipping sauces, like BBQ sauce and ranch.
Storage instructions
Wondering what is the best way to store leftovers? Here are best practices for chicken tender storage:
To store: Place the cooked and cooled chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Keep them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: You can reheat them back in the air fryer, a preheated oven, or a hot skillet. You can also microwave them if you are in a time crunch.
What to serve with air fried tenders
We like to keep things simple and pair our air-fried tenderloins with some healthy sides, and other air fryer recipes are a fantastic option. Here are some ideas:
- Air fryer zucchini
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- Air fryer French fries
- Air fryer sweet potato fries
- Air fryer baked potato
Frequently Asked Questions
Also known as chicken strips or chicken goujons, tenderloins are thin strips of meat located under the breast. They are the leanest part of the chicken.
Yes, you can use breaded chicken tenders. The cooking time will not differ; just be sure not to add extra spices, seasonings, or oil.
The internal temperature of the chicken will be 165 degrees Fahrenheit when it’s completely cooked.
Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 190C/375F. Lightly grease the air fryer basket.
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken tenders and oil and mix well. Add the seasonings and mix until combined.
- Add the chicken tenders to an air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the tenderloins from the air fryer basket and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Great recipe! Easy and tastes yummy. I used an air fryer liner and it made clean up super easy. Chicken was tender and juicy. Thank you!
Very good.
Chicken was delicious! Very tender and flavorsome!
So delicious and tender. To me has kind of a bbq taste. Reheats beautifully
Yes!! I do this as a meal prep so often reheat it and its so delicious 🙂
Perfect speedy dinner, chicken was moist, soft, and delicious.
I’m super excited to try this recipe! Do you happen to know what the weight of a serving size is?
I don’t sorry!
I saw many of your recipes for chicken from air fryer. I really need to start preparing it there instead of grilling always.
Made these again – probably the 3rd or 4th time – and it never fails! Beautiful recipe, thank you so much for sharing Arman. To me, you’re a legend! I always managed to ruin chicken tenders prior to finding your recipe. They are juicy & tasty!
Thanks so much, Cheryl!
I guess I’ll guess the temperature 🤒
I mean, you can, or you can do 190C/375F as I suggest in the recipe.
Thank you for this delicious recipe and all the added options and commentary, I especially appreciate the variations. I often find it difficult to stick very strict recipes, so I loved your style. The tenders came out super moist and very tasty!!
So good and easy!
We make these air fryer chicken tenderloins at least three times a week!
Impressed.cooked beautifully first time. Simple recipe.
These were so good and easy!!
thank you, Diane!
Great every time. Video helpful.
Thanks, Ruth!
Seriously….there is not a night that goes by that I don’t consult Arman for recipes for dinner There is also a night that goes by that his dinners aren’t absolutely amazing and amazingly easy!! Thank you so much and blessings on you!!
You are too sweet, Nancy!
KEEP BRINGING IT, ARMAN! Blessings and safety to you and yours!
best air fryer chicken tenderloins recipe ever!!!
Im air frying crumbed chicken tenders for tonight’s meal.
I’m 78 & cook for one.
Many thanks for your one meal recipes & hints to freeze.
Judy
Aw, yay Judy- I hope you enjoy them 🙂 Have a fabulous evening.
I just LOVE your recipes! I cannot eat sugar without getting cluster headaches, but your recipes allow me to create and eat sweet items. I have tried other recipes from other chefs but they were never over the top. Your recipes are over the top because the food made from your recipes are delicious.
I love the way you share your recipes with everyone. You are ONE special chef! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Judy!
Very easy to make and delicious. I cut the tenderloins into bite size pieces before cooking. I plan to add the leftover chicken into a salad.
Dear Arman,
I am not proud of this, but will keep doing it anyway. All I do each day is ask Hubby what protein he would like for dinner and then immediately come here to see what to do with it. Each time I do the meal turns out so amazing that I take all the credit! Every time I use your recipes they turn out like something I have spent hours on and sooo many compliments! This one is no exception – wonderful for a quick main dish salad with these on top.
My only complaint is that I would like to see these main dinner meal recipes in cookbook format. The other night our wifi was down and I was at a loss! I couldn’t blame you as that would give away my deep dark secret!
Kudos to you – I refer all my friends to your site so they can share in ‘my’ (your) talent!
I only eat Chicken so I really love the Air fryer recipes I’ve tried alot from here because they are fast and easy and always good.
8 mins for this delicious tenderloin meal with veggies. I am a diabetic lunch or dinner this is a great meal. Low on carbs too. I will squeeze a little lemon juice next time.
Thank you
So great to hear that, Paulette!
Just made these, fabulous! Thanks so much for such a great recipe! Very flavorful and tender. Will definitely make these again.
I made this recipe tonight because I was just too tired to make the panko breaded tenders I usually make. These were so flavorful and juicy that I don’t think I’ll ever go back! My kids even said they thought they were better than the breaded tenders. This was such a simple meal that I’ll be sure to add it into the rotation from now on.
I only eat Chicken so I really love the Air fryer recipes I’ve tried alot always tasty and moist, they are so easy to make and I like the fact the recipes have the nutritional count.
These were incredible!!! I love how juicy the air fryer chicken tenderloins turned out to be
Quick, easy, moist and tasty. A keeper, will print and add to my collection. Next time I will toss with buffalo sauce. Thank you.
This is the second time I have made these. My 13 year old (who hates everything that is not, hamburger, hot dog or orange chicken) loved these! Thanks for sharing this yummy and quick dinner idea!!
So welcome!
So good! Great flavor and perfectly cooked.
Quick, Easy, Moist and Delicious! I’ll be making this often!
😀 Love that!!
This recipe was an instant hit! Healthy, juicy and so easy to put together! 10/10
Great healthy recipe!
I just bought an air fryer, and your recipe was the very first one I tried! They turned out great. Thank you for sharing your know-how. It is much appreciated.
Easy but not too flavorful. I added some lemon before serving. It’s good over salad.
I made this tonight and they were AMAZING!!