These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are juicy, crispy, and full of bold, seasoned flavor. Inspired by Chili’s Chicken Crispers, each tender is tossed in a sweet and smoky honey chipotle sauce the kids will love.
For another chicken tender recipe, try my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders. And for more air fryer chicken recipes, check out my Air Fryer Chicken Legs and Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings next!
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Air Fry Chicken Tenders
Making chicken tenders in the air fryer is an easy choice on busy weeknights. They’re quick with only 15 minutes of cooking time.
The best part is how crispy they get without deep frying. And once they’re tossed in that sweet, smoky, saucy honey chipotle glaze? Everyone’s licking their fingers clean!
So skip the premade frozen chicken tenders because these homemade chicken strips have more crunch and flavor.
Ingredients
- Chicken tenderloins: Clean and remove the tendons.
- Seasoning: I use a mix of seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Flour: Season the flour with the same seasonings as the chicken so the air fried chicken tenders are extra flavorful.
- Eggs: Beaten in a bowl.
- Ritz crackers: Crushed for coating. This provides a light, crunchy coating.
- Vegetable oil: Use olive oil spray as an alternative.
HONEY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
- Butter: This adds a buttery, mouthwatering quality to the sauce.
- Garlic cloves: Mince fresh garlic for garlic flavor.
- Honey: For a sticky, sweetness.
- Chipotle paste: This puree adds a touch of heat to the sauce.
Can you air fry frozen chicken tenders?
Yes, you can air fry frozen chicken tenders. Cook them at 375°F to 400°F for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t be as crispy or flavorful as homemade, but they’re still a quick and easy option when you're short on time. Just make sure they reach an internal temp of 165°F before serving.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions for how to air fry chicken tenders.
Clean and Season the Chicken
I start by cleaning the chicken tenderloins and removing the tendon from each one. Then I season them generously with seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Once they’re coated, I set them aside so the seasoning can soak in while I prep everything else.
Set Up the Dredging Station
For the coating, I season my flour with the same spices used on the chicken and stir to combine. I whisk the eggs in a separate bowl until smooth. Then I crush up Ritz crackers in a Ziplock bag using a rolling pin until they resemble fine crumbs.
Bread the Chicken
To get that crispy coating just right, I dip each piece in flour first and shake off the excess. Then I go into the egg, back into the flour, back in the egg, and finally into the bag of crushed crackers. I shake the bag until the tenders are fully coated, gently pressing the crumbs in before setting them on a rack.
Air Fry Chicken Tenders
Now it’s time to make the air fried chicken tenders. I place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray them well with vegetable oil. They cook at 390ºF for 10 minutes, then I flip, spray again, and cook for another 5 minutes until golden and cooked through
Make the Honey Chipotle Sauce
While the chicken cooks, I melt butter in a skillet and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Then I add in honey and chipotle paste, stirring until the sauce comes together. I let it simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly.
Toss and Serve
Once the tenders are done, I toss them in the warm honey chipotle sauce until they’re coated and sticky. These honey chipotle chicken crispers are sweet, smoky, and saucy—just like the ones from Chili’s, but made even better at home. Serve them fresh out of the air fryer and enjoy every bite.
How Long to Air Fry Chicken Tenders
For homemade chicken tenders, I air fry them at 390ºF for 10 minutes on one side. Then I flip them, spray with more oil, and cook for another 5 minutes. The tenders should be golden, crispy, and fully cooked through. Depending on your air fryer and the size of the tenders, you might need an extra minute or two—just make sure they reach 165ºF internally.
Pro Tips
- Remove the tendon from each tenderloin. This helps the chicken cook evenly and makes the tenders easier to bite into.
- Use the same seasonings for the chicken and flour. It builds layers of flavor and keeps the breading from tasting bland.
- Double dip in flour and egg before adding the cracker coating. This creates a thicker, crispier crust that holds up well in the air fryer.
- Crush the Ritz crackers into fine crumbs. Smaller crumbs stick better to the chicken and create a more even, golden coating.
- Spray generously with vegetable oil before air frying. It helps the breading crisp up and turn golden without drying out the chicken.
- Cook in a single layer. Overcrowding the air fryer can lead to uneven cooking and soggy breading.
- Toss the tenders in sauce just before serving. This keeps them crispy on the outside while still getting that sweet, smoky, saucy finish.
Storage
Store any leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To keep them crispy, reheat in the air fryer at 375ºF for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the breading won’t stay as crisp.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Your Favorite Dipping Sauce: You can use ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, Creamy Chipotle Sauce, or Copycat In-n-Out Sauce.
- Potatoes: For a fast food-inspired meal, serve the tenders with french fries or sweet potato fries. Alternatively, serve them with Crispy Smashed Potatoes or Garlic Parmesan Roasted Purple Potatoes.
- Salad: Place them over a simple salad for a well-balanced meal.
FAQ
Can you make air fryer chicken tenders without breading?
Yes, you can skip the breading and still get juicy, seasoned chicken in the air fryer. Just coat the tenderloins in your favorite spices and spray lightly with oil before cooking—they won’t be crispy, but they’ll still be flavorful.
What are the best cuts of chicken for air fryer tenders?
Chicken tenderloins are the best choice because they’re already the perfect size and cook quickly. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips for a similar result.
Why do I have to double dip in flour and egg?
Double dipping helps the coating stick better and creates a thicker, crunchier crust. It also gives the crushed Ritz something to grip onto so they don’t fall off during cooking.
More Chicken Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken tenderloins cleaned and tendon removed
- 1 tablespoon Seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 cup Flour (seasoned with same seasonings as chicken)
- 2 large Eggs beaten in bowl
- 2 cups Ritz crackers crushed
- Vegetable oil spray
HONEY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 2 tablespoons Chipotle paste
Instructions
- Clean your chicken thoroughly, and remove the tendon out of each tenderloin.
- Add your clean chicken into a large bowl and sprinkle with all of the seasonings including the seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Set the chicken aside.
- Set up your dredging station by adding your flour into a bowl and season the flower with the same seasonings you used for the chicken. Mix the seasonings into the flour until fully combined. Now add the eggs into a separate bowl and whisk them until they are mixed well.
- Add the Ritz crackers into a large Ziplock bag and use a rolling pin or back of a skillet to crush the crackers into fine crumbs.
- Start by coating the chicken tender in flour, knock off as much flour as you can, then dip the tender into the egg mixture, then back into the flour, back in the egg, and then into the bag with the crushed crackers.
- Shake the Ziploc bag around until the tender is fully coated with the cracker crumbs. Press the crackers into the chicken. Remove it from the bag and set it aside on a cooling rack while you repeat the process for all of the other tenders.
- Once the chicken tenders are coated with the breading, add them to the air fryer in one single layer. Spray them liberally with vegetable oil. Put it on the air fryer method on 390ºF and cook for 10 minutes on the first side.
- Flip the tenders over, spray with more vegetable oil, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the tenders from the air fryer and set them aside. Continue cooking all of the chicken tenders until they are cooked through.
Honey Chipotle Sauce
- Add the butter into a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the minced garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Now add in the honey and the chipotle paste. Stir the mixture until everything is fully combined. Simmer on low for about 1-2 minutes.
- Toss the chicken tenders in the honey chipotle sauce. Serve with your favorite condiments, and ENJOY!
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