Air fryer frozen chicken tenders cook up crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Make chicken strips in the air fryer in a fraction of the time that it takes to bake them in the oven or deep-fry them. Air fry chicken tenders for a delicious snack!
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I’ve come to believe that the air fryer is the best way to heat up frozen foods. It’s definitely healthier than deep frying and it’s faster than the oven, plus food comes out crispier due to the constantly circulating air in an enclosed space.
Chicken tenders are breaded chicken strips that are also referred to as chicken fingers. They’re a great snack, especially for a hungry group of kids or adults!
➡ You can air fry all kinds of frozen foods including frozen chicken wings, taquitos, fish fillets, tater tots, and chicken nuggets.
Ingredients and Tips
🍗 Tyson Frozen Tenders
💡 Recipe Tips
- Preheat the air fryer before putting the tenders in.
- Until you are ready to cook frozen chicken tenders, keep them in the freezer. There’s no need to thaw the chicken strips.
- Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make this recipe, monitor the chicken and check on it 2 minutes before the cooking time is up. Adjust the recipe as needed.
- Chicken strips or tenders tend to come in all sizes and larger pieces may take longer to cook. Some pieces can have more heavy breading. Adjust the recipe accordingly. Remove smaller pieces from the air fryer earlier, to prevent them from overcooking.
- I use Tyson, Perdue, or Foster Farms brands and they all work with these timings.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. It’s best to place the chicken pieces in a single layer, without stacking them so they crisp evenly.
- Shake the basket or turn the chicken tenders halfway through air frying.
- Measure the internal temperature of the largest piece with a digital meat thermometer. The general guideline is that it’s ready when the temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve air fryer chicken strips with your favorite dipping sauce (ketchup, bbq sauce, honey mustard) for an easy party appetizer.
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 chicken tenders (chicken strips) or as many as will fit in a row *
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions (See Note!)
- Place the empty air fryer basket in the air fryer and preheat at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes.
- Add the frozen chicken tenders to the air fryer basket. Do not stack or overcrowd. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry for 12-14 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit, turning them over with tongs or shaking the basket at the 6 minute mark.
- Transfer the chicken tenders to a serving platter and serve with a dipping sauce.
Notes
- Note: Every air fryer’s cooking time will vary due to wattage, capacity, and other factors. Always check on the food 2 to 3 minutes before the time is up to make sure it’s not burning or overcooking!
- * Tyson crispy chicken strips were used in this recipe. Nutrition information is for Tyson Chicken Tenders. However the same timings can be used for any brand.
- Don’t thaw the frozen chicken before air frying.
- Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make this recipe, monitor the chicken and adjust the air frying time as needed.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Amee says
Thank you for the information and recipe.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks for commenting Amee – you’re most welcome. Hope you enjoy frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer!