Easy recipe for air fryer chicken tenders no breading! this air fryer chicken tender with no breading will win you over, it comes together quickly and you only need a handful of ingredients. This recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner, especially on a busy night.
Chicken tenders and parmesan cheese equals a delicious chicken dinner night
Air fryer chicken tenders with no breading come together quickly. The chicken is crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, and packed full of flavor. This recipe only requires 5 main ingredients and is ready in less than 12 minutes. Chicken tenderloins are great for meal preps, weeknight dinners, appetizers (with your favorite dipping sauce), or on their own as a healthy snack.
I love making chicken tenders without breading (also called naked chicken tenders)as I find it easy and more convenient than the standard breading method.
I get so lazy when it comes it making dredging stations and I honestly avoid recipes that require them. That said, I do make an exception for this air fryer chicken cutlet recipe as my children wouldn't have it any other way. So good! I love this cod fish burger too, especially since the fish is breaded before cooking, which really improves the overall dish.
Back to my naked chicken tenderloin recipe, you will love it because it is so simple and delicious. Plus, it comes together very quickly than baking in the oven so you don't have to worry about spending hours in the kitchen. Chicken tenders like chicken breast is a great source of high protein, keto-friendly, low-carb and gluten-free.
My favorite part about air fryer chicken tenders (no breading) apart from the fact that it is delicious is that it is easily customizable. You can season the tenderloins however you want using any of your favorite or go-to seasonings. I seasoned these naked tenders with this simple herbs and spices, onion and garlic granules, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Simple ingredients yet amazing and delectable results.
Making these unbreaded air fryer chicken tenders is an easy and delicious dinner option that your family will love and you can switch it up to suit your taste! Let me show you how to make it.
What are chicken tenders
Chicken tenders or tenderloins are small pieces of chicken breast, usually shaped like a triangle or strip. It is also known as chicken strips, chicken fingers or chicken breast mini fillets in the UK. They are cut from the back/side of a chicken breast and they are great for making quick dinners. They can also be breaded and fried, used in salads, or even put on sandwiches.
What you will need to make naked chicken tenders
To make this delicious air fryer chicken tender with no breading you will need the following handful of Ingredients
Chicken tenders
Onion powder
Italian seasoning: sub with Herbs de Provence or any other herbs of choice
Garlic granules
Grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make air fryer chicken tenders no breading
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400F/200C for 3-5 minutes. This step is important as it would ensure the chicken tenderloins gets an outer crispy finish. Also, this cut of chicken is best cooked at a high temperature
step 2: Pat the chicken tender dry with a kitchen paper towel, and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and black, drizzle olive oil over the chicken then sprinkle with onion powder, onion granules, and parmesan cheese and mix all to combine.
Step 3: Carefully arrange the chicken tenderloins in the air fryer basket and air fry at 400F/200C for 10-12 minutes flipping it halfway through or until completely cooked. The internal temperature of the chicken will register 165F/74C on an instant meat thermometer.
Remove the chicken tenders from the air fryer immediately and serve with other sides of your choice.
PS: Do not leave the chicken in the air fryer after it is cooked as the residual heat will continue to cook the chicken and make it dry.
How long to marinate chicken tenderloins
You do need to marinate these chicken tenders as the spices and herbs and parmesan cheese gives it an instant boost of flavor. That being said, if you would like to prep this recipe ahead of time then you can marinate it for as little as 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Bring out the chicken 15 minutes before cooking time so that it comes to room temperature.
Air fryer chicken tenders no breading time and temperature
Chicken tenderloins will take about 10-12 minutes to cook in the air fryer at 400F/200C. The internal temperature of the chicken must register 165F/74C before it can be safe for consumption. Sometimes chicken tenders come in different sizes and so might not cook around the same time, If after 12 minutes of cooking and the chicken is not cooked through, simply cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165F/74C.
How to store
This chicken will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
More air fryer recipes you should try
- Air fryer turkey steaks
- Air fryer turkey meatballs
- Air fryer meatloaf
- Air fryer sausage and peppers
- How to cook boneless chicken thighs in air fryer
- Air fryer kielbasa
- Air fryer broccolini
- Air fryer frozen chicken breast
- How to cook steaks in air fryer
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders No Breading
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders about 450g
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F/200C for 3-5 minutes. This step is important as it would ensure the chicken tenderloins gets an outer crispy finish. Also, this cut of chicken is best cooked at a high temperature
- Pat the chicken tenders dry with a kitchen paper towel, and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, drizzle olive oil over the chicken then sprinkle with onion powder, onion granules, and parmesan cheese and mix all to combine.1 lb chicken tenders, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic granules, 2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Salt and black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil and carefully arrange the chicken tenderloins in the air fryer basket and air fry at 400F/200C for 10-12 minutes flipping it halfway through or until completely cooked. The internal temperature of the chicken will register 165F/74C on an instant meat thermometer.
- Remove the chicken tenders from the air fryer immediately and serve with other sides of your choice.PS: Do not leave the chicken in the air fryer after it is cooked as the residual heat will continue to cook the chicken and make it dry.
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer recipe you can make at home in 15 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
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