Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Tenders
Making air fryer grilled chicken tenders is almost as easy as opening the bag of chicken tenders and throwing them on in the basket. I promise you, the few extra steps to making these healthy grilled chicken tenders in the air fryer are worth it! Juicy, flavorful chicken tenders without any breading or weird ingredients.
Using the air fryer is such a great way to get dinner on the table quickly. If you find yourself short on time but really love creating healthy, great tasting meals you should also try Air Fryer Chicken Bites or Air Fryer Greek Chicken.
Dip the tenders in your favorite sauce or use these grilled air fryer chicken tenders in salads, over pasta, served along side rice, potatoes or quinoa for a simple weeknight meal.
If you are looking for a recipe that is…
- Quick and easy (cooks in just 10 minutes)
- Uses simple ingredients (uses pantry ingredients to flavor the chicken)
- Is easy to customize (change the spices based on what you are serving it with)
- Good for you and your family (no breading, the recipe is gluten free, Whole30, paleo, low carb)
This is the recipe for you!
Ingredients
- Chicken tenderloins – chicken tenders (called chicken mini fillets in the UK) are thin pieces of white meat chicken that come from the tender right behind the breast of the chicken. Chicken tenders has a tendon running through the center that can be chewy, so it’s best to take a minute to remove the tendon before cooking. You could also use chicken breast cut into thin slices.
- Olive oil or avocado oil – the olive oil helps ensure the spices stick to the chicken and also help the chicken get juicy when cooking.
- Apple cider vinegar – the apple cider vinegar adds a touch of acid to the dish, helping to round out the flavors without overpowering the chicken. You could also use lemon juice.
- Spices: Salt, paprika, dried chives or garlic powder and dried thyme – these spices are super simple but add so much flavor to the chicken. Anytime I want to make a simple chicken recipe that I know everyone will love, it always starts with salt and paprika (not smoked paprika). The slight sweetness and earthiness of the paprika really makes the recipe shine. Use dried chives or garlic powder to give a slight onion/garlic flavor.
How to make chicken tenderloin in the air fryer
Prep the chicken: Start by prepping the chicken. Remove the white fibrous tendon from the center of the tenderloin. I like to use the fork and paper towel method, but you could also use a knife (see below for tips). This step is option but well worth the time investment for the best texture.
Coat the chicken: Add the chicken to a bowl. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and spices. Stir well until the chicken is well coated in the spices.
Cook the chicken: Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, ensure that the chicken doesn’t overlap (I usually use tongs for this). Cook at 375F for 8 minutes. After 6 minutes of cooking, pause the air fryer and flip the chicken, making sure that the chicken is again in a single layer.
Let the chicken rest: After 8 minutes, let the air fryer turn off but don’t open it. Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer. This allows the chicken to continue to cook with the residual heat but doesn’t overcook the chicken.
Once 2-3 minutes have passed, open the air fryer and check to ensure the chicken is done (use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165For split the thickest piece in half to ensure it’s fully cooked).
Top tips for making grilled chicken tenders in the air fryer
- Take the time to remove the white tendon from the tenders. Although tenders are thin and easy to cook, leaving the white tendon in can make them chewy and less delicious.
- The cooking time will depend on how thick the chicken tenders are and how strong your air fryer is. I have tested this recipe 4 times in my Ninja Air Fryer and it works perfectly each time. If you have a different model, you may need more time.
- Don’t let the chicken overlap or it may take longer to cook, which can dry out the chicken.
- Make this with chicken breast instead of tenders if you prefer. Cut the chicken breast down into 1-1.5 inch long pieces for easy cooking.
- Change up the flavor based on what you are serving with the air fryer grilled chicken tenders.
Other flavors to try
This recipe was written to be very versatile, meaning that the flavors will go with so many dishes so that you can always use this base recipe for any meal.
However, if you are making something specific and want to change the flavors or want to try something different, here are some other flavor combinations you can try:
- Mexican – remove the dried thyme, reduce the paprika to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
- Italian – remove the dried thyme, reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1.5 teaspoons of italian seasoning
- Greek – remove the dried thyme, reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar
- Smoky – reduce the paprika to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Spicy – add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Ranch – omit the paprika and dried thyme. Use a total of 1 tablespoon dried chives, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- BBQ – remove the dried thyme add 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard powder and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Everything bagel – remove the dried thyme, reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning.
What to serve with air fryer chicken tenders
- Mashed potatoes (dairy free) or garlic cauliflower mash and your favorite veggies (like balsamic kale and mushrooms) for a simple delicious meal
- Garlic turmeric rice, quinoa with cilantro and lime or Italian cauliflower rice
- Over salad (like this Greek Salad with Kalamata Olive Dressing)
- In wraps with homemade honey mustard dressing, lettuce and tomatoes
- In tacos with black beans and Mexican vegetables
Common questions
How do you remove the tendon from chicken tenders
I have found that the easiest method for this is the paper towel and fork method.
- Use a paper towel to grip the white tendon (usually a little bit is visible and easy enough to grab with a paper towel). If you can’t easily grip the tendon, use the fork to expose it enough that you can grip it with the paper towel.
- Once you have a grip on the tendon, place the prongs of the fork around the tendon then pull down with the fork. The fork will follow the tendon down and you will be able to pull it out completely without using a knife.
Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife and cut the tendon out with the chicken on a cutting board. Try not to take too much of the chicken meat when doing this.
Can you use chicken breast?
Yes, you can easily use chicken breast instead of tenders. Be sure to cut the chicken down into 1-1.5 inch strips to ensure that the chicken breast cooks up in the same amount of time.
Can you use frozen chicken?
The beauty of this recipe is that it cooks quickly and that the chicken is well coated in the delicious spice blend for a juicy, tasty piece of chicken in each bite. Frozen chicken is hard to coat and may not cook evenly.
Because of that I recommend that you use fresh chicken tenders or defrost your chicken in the fridge 24-36 hours in advance. I like to place the chicken in a large container with cold water in the fridge to ensure that it defrosts completely overnight.
Can you double the recipe?
If you want to double the recipe, you will likely need to cook the chicken in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. You do not want the the chicken to overlap in the air fryer.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: These tenders actually maintain their moist, juicy interior even after being in the fridge and reheated. Store in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftover chicken tenders in the microwave (1:30 -2 minutes on high) or in the air fryer at 350F for 3-4 minutes until hot.
- Freezer: You can also freeze leftovers. Allow the chicken to cool completely in the fridge then transfer to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze up to 3 months. Allow the chicken to defrost completely before reheating or the chicken is likely to dry out when reheating.
Substitutions
- Chicken tenderloin – use boneless, skinless chicken breast or turkey breast cut into thin strips (1-1.5 inches)
- Olive oil – use avocado oil or your favorite neutral oil
- Apple cider vinegar – use lemon juice or lime juice in place of the vinegar.
- Spices – see the list of spices above or use your favorite spice combination.
If you love this healthy chicken recipe, you should try
- Spatchcock Chicken (Air Fryer)
- Buffalo Chicken Bites (10 minutes)
- Italian Chicken Cubes (10 minutes)
- Shredded Chicken Breast (Instant Pot)
Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken tenders
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder - or dried chives
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Prep the chicken by removing the white tendons from the chicken tenderloins. Use a knife or fork and paper towel method (see below).
- Add chicken to bowl with olive oil, apple cider vinegar and spices. Stir well until all the chicken is well coated.
- Place the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket (try not to overlap the chicken).
- Cook in air fryer at 375F for 8 minutes. After 6 minutes, pause the air fryer and flip the chicken.
- After 8 minutes, turn off the air fryer but don't open the air fryer basket. Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes in the hot air fryer basket to continue to cook. This helps ensure the chicken is cooked without overcooking it).
- Check the chicken to ensure it's fully cooked (should read 165F in the thickest part. If it needs more time, cook 1-2 more minutes at 375F.
Equipment
Notes
- Take the time to remove the white tendon from the tenders. Although tenders are thin and easy to cook, leaving the white tendon in can make them chewy and less delicious.
- The cooking time will depend on how thick the chicken tenders are and how strong your air fryer is. I have tested this recipe 4 times in my Ninja Air Fryer and it works perfectly each time. If you have a different model, you may need more time.
- Don’t let the chicken overlap or it may take longer to cook, which can dry out the chicken.
- Make this with chicken breast instead of tenders if you prefer. Cut the chicken breast down into 1-1.5 inch long pieces for easy cooking.
- Change up the flavor based on what you are serving with the air fryer grilled chicken tenders.
- Mexican – reduce the paprika to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
- Italian – reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1.5 teaspoons of italian seasoning
- Greek – reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar
- Smoky – reduce the paprika to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Spicy – add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
- Ranch – omit the paprika. Use a total of 1 tablespoon dried chives, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- BBQ – add 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard powder and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Everything bagel – reduce the paprika down to 1/4 teaspoon and reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning.
