Whether you’re five, twenty-five, or ninety-five… crispy chicken tenders are always a go. Life facts. Making them from scratch can seem like a pain, until you get yourself an air fryer! Crispy, delicious chicken in 10 MINUTES of cook time. 20 minutes total. These are keto friendly – just 2G NET CARBS per serving, paleo/gluten-free, all the things! And even my two year old will eat them. Major win!
I’ve had my air fryer for going on 6 months now, and it’s been a fast & furious love affair. I waited sooo long to pull the trigger, and then my mom eventually pulled it for me – got me THIS BABY for my birthday! The true life excitement hits when you turn 30 🎉
LOVE IT SO MUCH BECAUSE:
- It’s pretty on the counter (some are just not, I said it haha)
- It’s multi-purpose: pizza oven, toaster, air fryer, mini convection… it just does so much!
- It makes everything TWICE as fast as the oven (literally – check the notes for my oven variation on these! still easy, but double the cook time)
- Super easy to clean!
You can find mine HERE or keep an eye out at Costco for a deal! If you know my mom, you know she got mine on sale, and then went and got one for herself & my brother too! 👏🏼 #bargainshopper
I love making quick “no-recipe” lunches in it, veggies, salmon, STEAK, tots/fries, so many things. I usually come up with stuff on the fly since it’s so easy to use. Excited to share more of it here on the blog!
NOW ON WITH THE CRISPY CHICKEN TENDERS!
I use a little unsweetened shredded coconut to add texture (almost like Panko breadcrumbs) and you really don’t taste the sweet/coconut flavor. But if you’re 100% anti-coconut and don’t want to risk it, substitute with extra almond flour as noted, or try swapping with some ground up pork rinds or plantain chips! More texture = more crispiness
Can’t wait to hear what you think! What should I share next – crispy green beans, or the ultimate foolproof air fryer steaks? Let me know below!
CRISPY AIR FRYER CHICKEN TENDERS
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders or breasts cut into strips
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or 1/4 extra almond flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt plus a little extra for finishing
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- avocado or olive oil spray
Instructions
- Heat the air fryer to 400ºF (if yours needs pre-heating, mine does not!). Give the basket a quick spray and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg. In another shallow bowl, combine the almond flour, shredded coconut, and spices to make your “breading”.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry, then dip them into the egg one at a time, flipping to coat both sides. Transfer to the breading mixture and flip to coat both sides, pressing the chicken down a bit to really grab the breading.
- Arrange the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer with a little space in between each – just enough so they aren't touching. Spray lightly with oil, then transfer to the air fryer.
- Cook at 400ºF for 5 minutes. Flip, spray the second side with oil, and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Finish with an extra pinch of salt & serve hot. Store leftovers in the fridge – reheat in the air fryer at 400º for just a few minutes to warm through & re-crisp. Dip in all sorts of ranch & honey money mustard & BBQ sauce, and ENJOY!
Notes
- Go for the unsweetened shredded coconut for some extra crispy texture – or skip it & substitute with an additional 1/4 cup of almond flour!
- Find my favorite air fryer/toaster oven HERE
- Not a proud air fryer owner yet?
- Make these on the stovetop, cooking in a little avocado oil until just browned & cooked through
- OR pop them in a 400ºF oven for 10 minutes on each side (broil a few extra at the end for crispiness)
1 Comment
imsen
February 3, 2022 at 9:12 amMy family and I love it. I will definitely make again. Super easy and great flavor!