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5 from 1 vote

Crispiest Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Air fryer chicken tenders are super crisp and golden on the outside thanks to cornflake coating and tender and moist inside. 
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken tenders
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 427kcal
Author: Barbara Bakes LLC

Ingredients

Chicken Tenders

  • 1 ½ lbs chicken breast sliced into tenders
  • 2 cups buttermilk regular or low fat
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • Pinch of red pepper cayenne pepper

Coating

  • 3 cups cornflakes crushed
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Spray oil

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise not Miracle Whip
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
  • ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Buttermilk Marinade: Place raw chicken tenders into a dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper. (The red pepper just gives a slight pop of flavor, not spiciness.) Pour the buttermilk over the chicken, make sure to coat all the chicken. Refrigerate and marinate for minimum 1 hour and up to overnight.
  • Prepare Mustard Dipping Sauce: Place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until completely combined.
  • Prepare Coating: Crush your cornflakes and pour into a shallow dish, similar to a pie plate. Add flour, garlic salt and pepper, stir to combine.
  • Place your air-fryer tray on the counter.
  • Starting with one chicken tender at a time wipe the sides on the edge of the bowl to remove excess buttermilk.
  • Roll the chicken tender into the cornflake mixture. Once coated, shake gently to remove any loose coating. Set onto air-fryer tray.
  • Continue with each chicken tender.
  • Spray the surface of your coated tenders with spray oil. (This step is a must or the coating will be dry. The oil makes sure the coating crisp up.)
  •  Bake at 400ºF for 12 – 20 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken tenders are, or until chicken is cooked to 165 º F and coating is golden brown. Flip chicken tenders over after 6 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 795mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g