Air-Fry Schwann's Chicken Strips: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Schwann's chicken strips are a popular choice for those looking for a quick and convenient meal. With an air fryer, you can cook these chicken strips to crispy perfection without the need for deep frying in oil. The air fryer circulates hot air around the food, resulting in a crunchy exterior and juicy interior. This method is not only healthier but also reduces the cooking time significantly compared to a traditional oven. To get started, simply preheat your air fryer, season and bread your chicken tenders, and place them in the air fryer basket. For the best results, ensure you don't overcrowd the basket and give the tenders a flip halfway through cooking. With just a few minutes of preparation and cooking time, you'll have delicious and crispy Schwann's chicken strips ready to be served with your favourite dipping sauces!

How to make Schwann's chicken strips in an air fryer

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. While some recipes and chefs may advise against it, preheating can ensure your chicken strips are cooked evenly and efficiently. It is also a necessary step if you are looking to achieve a crispy exterior.

Firstly, consult your air fryer's instruction manual to ensure you are following the manufacturer's guidelines for preheating. Most air fryers will need to be preheated to around 400°F (200°C). This is a very high temperature, so it is important to be cautious and avoid touching the air fryer or placing items inside it during the preheating process.

Depending on your air fryer model, the preheat function may be automatic or manual. For manual preheating, set the temperature to 400°F and allow the air fryer to run for 3-5 minutes. If your air fryer has a preheat function, simply select this option and wait for the indicator light to signal that it has reached the correct temperature.

Once your air fryer has preheated, you can carefully place your chicken strips inside and begin cooking. If you are cooking frozen chicken strips, do not thaw them first. Place them straight into the air fryer, ensuring they are in a single layer and not overcrowding the basket.

Prepare the chicken strips

To prepare the chicken strips, you'll first need to decide whether you want to cook them from frozen or fresh. If you're cooking from frozen, you can skip the breading process and go straight to air-frying. If you're cooking from fresh, you'll need to season the chicken and prepare a breading station.

Frozen Chicken Strips

If your chicken strips are frozen, you'll be pleased to know that they're super easy to cook. You can go straight from the freezer to the air fryer. Simply place the frozen chicken strips in the air fryer basket and spread them out into a single, even layer. No oil spray is needed. Air fry your chicken at 400°F/205°C for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken over and air fry for another 2-5 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy.

Fresh Chicken Strips

If you're cooking from fresh, you'll first need to season the chicken. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper will do, but if you want to add more flavour, you can use a combination of paprika, parsley, seasoned salt, and black pepper.

Once your chicken is seasoned, it's time to set up your breading station. You'll need three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, beat an egg. In the second bowl, combine flour with your chosen seasonings. In the third bowl, add your breadcrumbs.

Now it's time to bread the chicken. First, dredge each chicken tender in the seasoned flour. Then, dip it in the beaten egg, and finally, coat it in the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded chicken tenders on a cutting board or baking tray, and spray both sides generously with oil.

Air Frying

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F/205°C. Place the chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the basket. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side, turning halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and golden crispy.

Bread the chicken strips

To bread the chicken strips, you'll need to prepare a breading station with a few shallow bowls. In one bowl, combine flour, paprika, parsley, seasoned salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat an egg. In a third bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs and seasoned breadcrumbs.

Now you're ready to start breading! Begin by dredging each chicken strip in the seasoned flour. Then, dip it into the beaten egg, and then back into the seasoned flour. After that, dip the chicken strip into the egg again, and finally, coat it with the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to shake off any excess breading after each step.

Once all your chicken strips are breaded, place them on a cutting board or baking tray. Spray or brush both sides of the chicken strips generously with oil. This step will help ensure that your chicken strips come out crispy and golden in the air fryer.

Cook the chicken strips

To cook Schwann's chicken strips in an air fryer, start by placing the frozen chicken strips in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are in a single layer and not overcrowding the basket. If your chicken strips are raw, spray both sides with olive oil or another neutral oil spray. If they are pre-cooked, there is no need to add extra oil.

Set your air fryer to the highest temperature it goes to. Most air fryers will go up to 400°F. If your air fryer has a preheat setting, preheat it to 400°F. If not, turn it on and let it heat up for a few minutes before adding the chicken strips.

Once the air fryer is hot, place the chicken strips inside. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until they are crispy. If you are cooking a large batch, you may need to cook the chicken strips in batches to ensure even cooking. If you are cooking multiple batches, you may need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes for the second batch, as the air fryer will already be hot.

If you are cooking raw chicken strips, you will need to cook them for longer, about 10-14 minutes total. Flip them halfway through the cooking process to ensure even cooking. The chicken strips are done when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside and have an internal temperature of 165°F.

Serve with a dipping sauce

When it comes to serving your Schwann's chicken strips, there are a variety of dipping sauces that can enhance your meal.

Firstly, the classic options of ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce are always a safe bet and are likely to be family favourites, especially for younger children. If you're looking for something with a bit of spice, opt for hot sauce or chili oil, which will add a nice kick to your chicken strips. For a crunchy texture, you can also try Doritos-crusted chicken strips; the salty, crunchy coating pairs well with dipping sauces.

If you're a fan of creamy sauces, options such as buttermilk ranch, tarter sauce, thousand island dressing, and various cheese dips will be excellent choices. Honey mustard is another classic, tangy, and sweet option that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

For those who enjoy more adventurous flavours, sweet and sour sauce, sweet chili sauce, and a spicy Korean sauce will add a unique twist to your chicken strips.

Don't forget that you can also make your dipping sauces from scratch! For example, a honey Dijon sauce or a Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing will surely impress.

So, whether you're serving a crowd or simply enjoying a weeknight meal, don't be afraid to experiment with different dipping sauces to elevate your Schwann's chicken strips cooked in the air fryer!

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