Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading)

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading)

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading) cook quickly with common pantry ingredients, making them perfect for busy nights. They are low carb and incredibly delicious, even without breading. You will not even miss it!

If you are starting with frozen chicken tenders, check the notes for special instructions.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Air Fryer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer chicken tenders (no breading), air fryer chicken tenders without breading, air fryer naked chicken tenders, healthy air fryer chicken tenders, low carb air fryer chicken tenders

Servings: servings

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb chicken tenders about 6 to 7 tenderloins
1 tbsp olive oil or a few sprays of vegetable oil
3 tbsp dry rub seasoning see notes

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 370°F.
Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with non-stick spray.
Pat the chicken tenderloins dry and rub or spray the oil to lightly coat the chicken.
Sprinkle the seasoning all over the tenderloins. Make sure you season the front and back. See the notes below for an easy seasoning mix, or use my Cajun seasoning.
Place the tenderloins in a single layer in the air fryer (cook in batches if they don’t all fit in a single layer).
Cook at 370°F for 10 minutes. Check for doneness (see notes). Allow the tenders to cool for 3 to 5 minutes and serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. Try our honey mustard sauce.

Notes

Adjust For Tenderloin Size

Larger tenders may need an additional 2 to 5 minutes; add time in 1 to 2-minute increments. For tenderloins smaller than 3 ounces each, begin checking after 7 to 8 minutes.

Check With A Thermometer

Check the thickest part of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. The target is 165°F; color and clear juices alone are not reliable measures of doneness.

Multipurpose Chicken Rub

Combine 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cumin powder.

Starting From Frozen

Cook the frozen tenders at 370°F for 3 minutes. Open the air fryer, spray the chicken with oil, and sprinkle with rub. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, then check for 165°F and add time if needed.

Leave Space In The Basket

Arrange the tenders in a single layer and cook in batches if needed so the hot air can reach each piece.

Nutrition