If you want an amazing weeknight dinner, you can choose Air Fryer Panko Chicken Tenders, a wonderful family-friendly dish. When you have minimal time to cook for a treat, choose Air Fryer Panko Chicken Tenders. You can make it crispy and crunchy in the air fryer and feel delicious in every bite. By using very few ingredients, you can create a golden look that is very tasty and perfect for a meal. Using an air fryer, you can make a fantastic batch of panko chicken tenders that are crisp on the exterior and juicy inside in minutes.
Why Should You Prefer Panko Chicken Tender Better Than The Roast?
- Healthier with minimal oil: Unlike roasting, which may need more oil or butter for moisture, air-frying panko chicken tenders use less oil, lowering calorie intake while maintaining a crispy quality.
- Crispy Texture: The air fryer gives you extra crispy and crunchy with a golden coat exterior.
- Cooking time: Air fryers are mostly fast cooks, enabling you to cook a crispy meal faster than conventional roasting techniques.
- Flavors: Whereas roasted chicken might occasionally lose its crispness or seasoning after cooking, air-fried chicken tenders readily absorb spices and coatings like panko, providing a more delicious taste.
Ingredients that you’ll have For Air Fryer Panko Chicken Tenders
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs add a lovely browning and crunch to this recipe, making it perfect for air frying. When you need a quick, allergy-friendly dish, it’s helpful that many panko brands are gluten-free.
- Batter: Unsalted butter gives a ton of flavor and aids in the breading sticking to the chicken.
- Chicken: Chicken tenders are the easiest cut to use for this dish. Nothing needs to be prepared because they are already in the ideal shape. However, if tenders are unavailable, I prefer sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Cheese: Shredded Parmesan gives the breading a salty and umami taste. For a different flavor, try substituting pecorino or asiago.
- Spices: For my chicken, I like to use a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, red chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. That can be tailored to your preferences!
- Eggs and flour are combine to make a breading that adheres to the chicken strips. To achieve the same result if you don’t have flour on hand, try using potato starch instead of flour!
- Cooking Oil: Spraying the tenders with cooking oil just before cooking them is one of the most crucial procedures in this recipe then oil contributes to their increased crispiness!
- Use Paprika: To increase the color and flavor of the breading, give an amazing smell with garlic.
Cooking Method Of Air Fryer Panko Chicken Tenders
Preheat the Air fryer
- Put the air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit of the Air fryer and permit it to preheat only for 4 to 5 minutes.
Ready to Coating
- Combine the flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt & pepper in utensils.
- Beat the eggs in the second utensil.
- Keep the Panko breadcrumbs in a third utensil.
Chicken Coating
- Shake off any excess flour mixture after dredging each chicken tender in it.
- Place it in the beaten egg mixture.
- To obtain an equal coating, gently push the tender while rolling it in panko breadcrumbs.
Place in the air Fryer
- Put a narrow cooking spray or olive oil layer into the air fryer basket.
- Avoid overcrowding and arrange the coated chicken tenders in a single layer.
- To achieve crispiness, lightly spritz the outer edges of the tenders with cooking spray.
Prepare the Tenders
- Flip midway through the ten to twelve-minute air fry time.
- When the chicken tenders are done, they should be 165°F (74°C) inside and golden and crispy.
Serve
- After removing the tenders, serve them hot with your preferred ranch, ketchup, or honey mustard dipping sauces!
Cooking Tips Of Air Fryer Panko Chicken Tenders
- Brine your chicken to retain its juicy texture and add moisture during air-frying. Because you can air fry the outside longer and at a higher temperature, the chicken will stay juicy but have an extra crispy outside.
- If you need more time or want to avoid salting, at minimum, sprinkle twice the amount of salt than sugar over the chicken and let it soak while you prepare the other ingredients. That is about to change things!
- Before air-frying, use enough oil spray to cover every portion of the breading, and pat the chicken dry after brining! My two main recommendations for avoiding soggy chicken tenders are as follows.
- When breading the chicken tenders in the panko, don’t be delicate. Shake off any extra panko breadcrumbs after pressing them firmly into the chicken with your hands. After the breading is applied, then the chicken tenders shouldn’t have any bald or wet areas. That will guarantee that the breading in the air fryer doesn’t come off!
- Preparation Times: Cooking times may differ due to model and power variations in air fryers. Your initial air fry should start at 400°F and last for 8 minutes. You can change the cooking time during the second air fry to achieve the desired level of crispy chicken strips!
Nutrition
- CALORIES: 250-300 KCAL
- PROTEIN: 25G
- FAT: 8G
- CARBOHYDRATES: 20G
- FIBBER: 1G
- SUGAR: 1G
- SODIUM: 400MG (may differ according to coating and seasoning)
Nutritional data is computed automatically and is only meant to be used as an approximate indication.
Storing & Reheating
- Refrigeration
- Give the chicken tenders time to cool fully.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three to four days.
- Freezing
- To keep the cooled tenders without sticking to one another, arrange them in one layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Once frozen, move them to a container or bag that can be frozen for up to three months.
- Reheating
- For chilled tenders, reheat for three to five minutes or until well heated in an air fryer set at 350°F (175°C).
- When reheating frozen tenders, place them straight in an air fryer and cook at 375° Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are hot and crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should leftovers be stored?
The remaining food should be frozen for up to three months or kept in the refrigerator for up to three to four days in an airtight container.
How should I use this to serve?
Serve the chicken tenders from the hot air fryer tongs with fries, a salad, or vegetables and dipping sauces like ranch, ketchup, or honey mustard.
Why do my air fryer chicken tenders come out soggy?
If you don’t use enough oil spray, then overcrowd the basket, or heat the air fryer properly, your chicken tenders may become mushy.
Are chicken tenders from an air fryer healthy?
Since air fryers use less oil to produce crispy, low-calorie, low-fat chicken tenders, they are healthier than fried ones.
Marco Bianchi, a culinary virtuoso with a flair for innovation, has made a name for himself as a celebrated chef in the United States. Born with a passion for cooking, Marco’s culinary journey began in his early years, inspired by the diverse flavors and techniques he encountered.