Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
Making Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders is the best way (way better than the oven!) to achieve the perfect tender every time! With a juicy exterior and crispy, golden brown breading, this air fryer recipe is a no-brainer when it comes to weeknight dinners.
Sometimes you just have to throw a bag of something frozen in the oven and call it a day! But what if I told you there’s an EVEN EASIER way to cook your favorite frozen chicken tenders?
This air fryer method is much better than baking in the oven and results in amazing tenders every single time. Similar to my Crispy Air Fryer Wings or these more flavorful Lemon Pepper Wings, this is a great way to quickly and easily cook chicken in the air fryer.
Why this method is best
- Easier than baking: Much faster pre-heating AND cooking than in the oven!
- Better than the package directions: This method will give you perfectly crispy and juicy tenders every time.
- Great for dinner and more: Perfect for a quick meal, these tenders are also perfect for game day appetizers and more.
Top tips:
- Don’t re-freeze the chicken tenders after cooking. They won’t taste as good and the texture will be off.
- You’ll know when your chicken tenders are done when they are fully heated through and crispy on the outside. To be safe, you can use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Serve your air fryer chicken tenders with ketchup, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, bang bang sauce, ranch dressing, or spicy mayo. They would also pair well with cheese sauce, chick fil a sauce, sriracha, or some kind of special burger sauce.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Greek Chicken Skewers
- Teriyaki Chicken in Air Fryer
- Old Bay Air Fryer Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
- Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
If you tried this air fryer frozen chicken tenders or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you, and this helps my business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes!
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen breaded chicken tenders 20 oz
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F
- Place the frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer. (Do not overcrowd the basket or they won't get crispy). Cook the chicken tenders for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through and the chicken tenders are warm all the way through.
- Once finished, transfer the cooked chicken tenders to a plate and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- You may need to work in batches depending on how many you are making.
- In my experience, 10 minutes is generally a good starting point for cooking chicken tenders from frozen. For larger tenders, it can take up to 12 minutes, but it’ll rarely be any longer than that.
Nutrition
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