Air-Fryer Bbq Chicken Tenders: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Air fryers are a great way to make crispy, juicy, and tender chicken tenders with minimal effort. This guide will take you through the process of making delicious BBQ chicken tenders in an air fryer, including the ingredients you'll need, the steps to follow, and some tips to ensure your tenders turn out perfectly.

Choosing and preparing your chicken

Selecting Your Chicken

Chicken tenderloins, or tenders, are thin strips of meat located under the breast. They are the leanest part of the chicken and are more tender than breast meat. You can buy chicken tenderloins pre-cut, or you can buy chicken breasts and cut them into strips.

Preparing Your Chicken

Before coating your chicken, it's important to rinse the meat and pat it dry with paper towels. This will remove any excess moisture.

If you want to add extra flavour to your chicken, you can marinate it before coating. To do this, mix together your chosen sauce or seasoning in a bowl. Set aside a small amount of sauce for later, then add the chicken tenders to the bowl, ensuring they are completely covered. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Coating Your Chicken

There are several ways to coat your chicken tenders. Here are some options:

• Dip the chicken into a beaten egg mixture, then coat with seasoned breadcrumbs.
• Combine a beaten egg with egg white, then dip the chicken into this mixture before coating with a combination of breadcrumbs and panko.
• Dip the chicken into a beaten egg, then coat with crushed pork rind crumbs.
• Mix the chicken with olive oil, then add a spice mixture.

Making a marinade

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the ingredients are well mixed and the sugar has dissolved.
• Place the chicken tenders in a large resealable bag or container. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring that all the pieces are well coated.
• Refrigerate the marinated chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. The longer it sits, the more intense the flavour will be.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place the tenders in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not overcrowded.
• Cook the chicken tenders according to your air fryer's instructions or until they are cooked through and golden brown.

Feel free to adjust the measurements and add your own twist to the marinade! You can also experiment with different ingredients, such as soy sauce, honey, garlic, or your favourite spices.

Breading your chicken

Firstly, prepare your dredging stations. In one bowl, whisk an egg or two, depending on the quantity of chicken. You can also add an egg white to this mixture, as this will help the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken. In a separate shallow bowl or dish, combine your dry ingredients. This typically includes breadcrumbs and seasonings. For a basic breading, use seasoned breadcrumbs and panko for a crispy texture. You can also add some grated Parmesan cheese to the mix for extra flavour. If you're feeling adventurous, try adding different seasonings like Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, or even cayenne pepper for a kick.

Now it's time to dip and coat your chicken tenders. Start by dipping each chicken tender into the egg mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Then, transfer the egged chicken to the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture. Coat each piece generously with the breadcrumbs, gently pressing the mixture onto the chicken to ensure it sticks.

Once your chicken tenders are nicely coated, place them on a large dish or cutting board. Spray both sides of the chicken generously with oil. This step will help ensure a crispy texture when cooked in the air fryer.

Finally, you can follow the standard cooking instructions for your air fryer BBQ chicken tenders. Typically, you'll cook the tenders at a temperature between 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking process. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken tenders and the specific model of your air fryer, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.

And there you have it! A step-by-step guide to breading your chicken tenders for the air fryer. Enjoy your delicious, crispy, and juicy BBQ chicken tenders!

Cooking your chicken

Firstly, you'll want to prepare your chicken tenders. If you can't get hold of chicken tenders, you can buy chicken breasts and cut them into strips.

Next, season your chicken. You can use salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne powder, or smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Now you're ready to dredge your chicken. You'll need a dredging station with a bowl of whisked egg and a separate bowl of breadcrumbs. You can use plain or seasoned breadcrumbs—if you're seasoning them yourself, add dried herbs like basil and oregano, or spices of your choice. Dip the tenders first in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

Place the chicken tenders in your air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap. Spray the tops of the tenders lightly with non-stick spray.

Cook at 375-400°F for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through. The tenders are ready when they're golden and crispy on the outside. Check that the internal temperature is at least 165°F.

Finally, brush or drizzle the tenders with BBQ sauce until they're fully coated.

Serving suggestions

These chicken tenders can be served with a variety of sides and dips. Here are some ideas:

• BBQ sauce for dipping
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Brown Sugar Baked Beans
• Coleslaw
• French Fries (Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries, Air Fryer French Fries, Garlic Parmesan Fries)
• Salads (BBQ Chicken Salad, Cobb Salad, Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad)
• Corn on the cob
• Five Bean Salad
• Air fryer brussels sprouts
• Air fryer French fries
• Air fryer sweet potato fries
• Air fryer baked potato

You can also serve the chicken tenders in a bun as a sandwich, or with some extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Frequently asked questions