These crispy and juicy chicken tenders are the perfect meal for busy weeknights, which is just about every weeknight around here. We know you all love the air fryer, and we are here to deliver one of our favorite ways to use it! They come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside – ready to be dipped in your favorite sauce. Whether you’re looking for a quick and tasty dinner or a satisfying lunch option, these chicken strips are sure to hit the spot. Give them a try and see for yourself just how delicious and satisfying they can be.
Tips and Tricks
Air fryers are a great appliance for making crispy and delicious chicken tenders. Here are some tips for achieving the crispiest results:
- Preheat your air fryer: It’s important to preheat your air fryer before adding the chicken strips. This will help to quickly cook the chicken and give it a crispy texture.
- Use the right temperature: The temperature you cook your chicken strips at will affect the final texture and crispiness. For the crispiest chicken strips, cook them at a high temperature, such as 400-450°F.
- Use breading or a coating: To give your chicken strips an extra crunch, try coating them in breadcrumbs or a flour-based coating before cooking. This will create a crispy outer layer and help to seal in the moisture of the chicken.
- Avoid overcrowding the basket: Be sure to spread the chicken strips out in a single layer so that they can cook evenly and get crispy on all sides. You may need to cook the chicken in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer and the amount of chicken you are cooking.
- Shake the basket: Halfway through cooking, try shaking the basket to help distribute the heat and ensure that the chicken cooks evenly. This will help to ensure that all sides of the chicken strips are exposed to the heat and get crispy.
- Watch closely: Keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and quantity of the chicken, as well as the exact temperature of the air fryer. You can check the chicken for doneness by piercing it with a fork or knife. If it is tender and crispy, it is ready to be enjoyed.
Using Chicken Breasts in Place of Chicken Tenders
If a recipe calls for chicken tenders but you only have boneless, skinless chicken breasts on hand, don’t worry! You can easily use chicken breasts as a substitute.
Chicken tenders, also known as chicken strips or chicken fingers, are thin strips of chicken that are usually made from the tenderloin, a small strip of muscle that runs along the breast of the chicken. These tenders are tender, juicy, and easy to cook.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, on the other hand, are the most common cut of chicken used in cooking. They are versatile, lean, and easy to work with, but they can sometimes be less tender and juicy than chicken tenders.
To use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a recipe that calls for chicken tenders, simply slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. You can use a sharp knife to do this, or you can use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken breasts into thinner pieces. This will help the chicken breasts cook faster and more evenly, and it will also make them more tender.
Once you have sliced the chicken breasts into strips, you can cook them according to the recipe instructions. The cooking time may be slightly longer than the recipe calls for, as boneless, skinless chicken breasts are thicker than chicken tenders. Be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it is cooked through and safe to eat.
