Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders (No Breading)
These Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders skip the breading, and you won’t even miss it! Chicken tenderloins soak in dill pickle juice and buttermilk for an hour or two. Then they get tossed in ranch seasoning and freshly grated Parmesan. They air fry in 14 minutes with one flip, and one pound feeds four. Serve with a salad, veggies, or FRIES! This is one of those “goes-with-anything” recipes!
Why I Love These Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders
Breading has its place (I have breaded tenders on my blog too!). This version just skips the extra time and effort. The flavor is SO good on its own. They come out juicy, cheesy, a little tangy, and packed with ranch flavor. Ranch never goes out of season, so these work any time of year. Kids and adults both love them!
Dip them, slice them over a salad, or both! For dipping, grab my homemade Chick-fil-A sauce. My 10-minute Whole30 BBQ sauce works great too. For even more ranch flavor, drizzle them with my homemade herb ranch dressing.
A Few Ingredient Notes…
- Ranch seasoning: A standard packet has about 3 tablespoons, and this recipe uses 2. Homemade ranch seasoning totally works if you have a recipe you love. A store-bought packet works just as well! Trader Joe’s sells ranch seasoning in a spice jar, so you aren’t stuck with a tablespoon left over.
- Parmesan: Grate it fresh. It melts into the ranch seasoning and browns into crispy little spots in the air fryer.
- Olive oil: Helps the ranch and Parmesan stick to the chicken.
Why Pickle Juice and Buttermilk?
Pickle juice and buttermilk might sound like a strange combo. But trust me! Here are a few details I swear by:
- The salt and acid in the pickle juice season the chicken as it soaks. The buttermilk helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
- Any dill pickle juice works, straight from your favorite jar of pickles. Use the one you love most, since that’s the flavor the chicken soaks up!
- One to two hours in the fridge is plenty. Much longer, and the acid can start to make the outside a little mushy. Short on time? Even 30 minutes adds flavor. You can skip the brine completely, but the tenders won’t be as juicy or tangy.
How to Make Air Fryer Ranch Chicken
These cook at 360°F instead of something hotter. That gives the Parmesan time to turn golden before it burns, while the centers cook through. I make them in my Ninja Foodi 4-quart grill and air fryer, and the whole pound fits in one layer. No air fryer? My oven-baked chicken tenders skip the breading too.
- Step 1: Coat the chicken. Drain the brine, and pat the tenders dry. Less moisture on the surface means better browning. Toss the tenders in olive oil before adding the ranch, Parmesan, and pepper. Keep tossing until every side is covered.
- Step 2: Air fry in one layer. Spray the basket or line it with air fryer parchment. This way, the Parmesan won’t stick, and cleanup is easy. Lay the tenders flat with a little space between them, then spray the tops.
- Step 3: Flip and finish. Flip them at 8 minutes, once the tops look opaque with a few golden spots. Cook 6 more minutes, until you see golden-brown patches, crispy Parmesan edges, and they read 165°F inside.
- Step 4: Drizzle and serve. Drizzle with ranch dressing and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
How to Serve
These are pretty versatile. Serve with a green salad or your favorite veggies. Sweet potatoes or fries work too (yum!), like my sweet potato fries in the air fryer.
If you’re craving a crunchy crust instead, my air fryer chicken tenderloins with an almond flour and panko crust are a great place to start. If you love ranch and bacon together, try my bacon ranch chicken tenders with a panko crust.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
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Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders
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Equipment
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Chicken brine
- 2/3 cup dill pickle juice
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil spray
For serving
- ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pickle juice and buttermilk. Add the chicken tenders and make sure they are completely covered. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.2/3 cup dill pickle juice, 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 pound chicken tenders
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
- Drain the brine from the bowl and toss the chicken tenders in the olive oil. Add the ranch seasoning, Parmesan, and black pepper, and toss until the chicken is fully coated.1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray or line it with air fryer parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place the seasoned chicken tenders in a single layer and spray the tops with olive oil.1 tablespoon olive oil spray
- Air fry for 8 minutes, flip, and cook for another 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Top with ranch dressing and chopped cilantro before serving.ranch dressing, 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
Notes
- Pat the tenders dry with a paper towel after draining the brine.
- A standard ranch seasoning packet holds about 3 tablespoons. Homemade ranch seasoning works too.
- If the tenders don’t fit in one layer in your air fryer, cook them in two batches.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- Freeze cooked tenders for up to 4 months. Thaw them in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway.
Nutrition
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