BEST Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (Crispy and Juicy)

The best air fryer chicken tenders with breading. They’re extra crispy from the panko, so flavorful, and the chicken is perfectly juicy.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound chicken tenderloins
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup panko
• Cooking spray

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Dry the chicken using a paper towel, then...: Dry the chicken using a paper towel, then set aside.
2. 2To a large mixing bowl, add the egg,...: To a large mixing bowl, add the egg, flour, mayonnaise, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Beat together until a thick batter has formed. Add the dried tenders to the batter, then toss through until they are evenly coated, then set it aside.
3. 3To a shallow bowl, add the Italian breadcrumbs...: To a shallow bowl, add the Italian breadcrumbs and panko crumbs. Mix to combine. Place a large clean plate next to the bowl for the breaded chicken to go on.
4. 4Lay the battered chicken tenders, 2-3 at time,...: Lay the battered chicken tenders, 2-3 at time, in the shallow bowl with the breadcrumbs. Cover the tenders completely with the breadcrumbs, then press them down into the crumbs to make sure the crumbs fully stick. Transfer the breaded chicken tenders to the clean plate. Gently shake the bowl with the crumbs so it's evenly coating the bottom, then continue with the remaining tenders until all of them are breaded. Let the tenders rest while preheating the air fryer.
5. 5Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for...: Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for 5 minutes. Once heated, spray the bottom trivet with cooking spray, then carefully lay 4-5 tenders down in the basket, leaving some space between them to allow the air to circulate. Use cooking spray to generously spray the tops of the tenders, and bake at 400 F for 5 minutes. Flip the tenders over, spray the tops again, and bake for another 5 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 165 F has been reached using an instant read thermometer. If your chicken tenders are smaller, check them after they’ve been cooking for 3 minutes on the second side (a total of 8 minutes cooking time).
6. 6Remove the chicken from the basket and repeat...: Remove the chicken from the basket and repeat with the remaining chicken tenders. Serve with dipping sauce and desired sides!