Name: Air Fryer Pecan Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 8 boneless skinless chicken tenders; salt and pepper, (to taste); ½ cup mayonnaise; 2 Tbsp honey mustard dressing; ½ cup finely chopped pecans; ½ cup panko bread crumbs; ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Air Fryer Pecan Chicken Tenders – our favorite thing to make in the air fryer! Chicken tenders coated in mayonnaise and honey mustard and rolled in panko bread crumbs, pecans, and parmesan cheese. Use crushed pork rinds for a low-carb/keto-friendly/gluten-free dish. Seriously delicious! Can make in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. Tastes great leftover too.

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Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

These Air Fryer Pecan Chicken Tenders are absolute perfection! This was my first time making chicken tenders in the air fryer, but it certainly won’t be the last! I may never cook chicken tenders another way. Crispy chicken tenders in under 10 minutes! YASSS!!! These were SO good and SO easy to make. I doubled the recipe and we ate these for lunch and leftovers for lunch the next couple of days. They are great reheated or straight out of the fridge cold. I especially enjoy these chicken tenders dipped in some honey mustard. Give this a try the next time you need a meal the whole family will enjoy.

What is an air fryer?

An air fryer is basically a countertop convection oven. It circulates hot air around the food for faster cooking. The rapidly circulating air makes the food crispy, much like deep frying but without the need for oil. You also don’t need to preheat the air fryer, making cooking in the air fryer much faster than cooking in the oven.

How To Make Chicken Tenders From Scratch for the Air Fryer

These air fried chicken tenders are very easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. Season some boneless skinless chicken tenders with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and honey mustard dressing. Coat the raw chicken all over with the mayonnaise mixture. In a shallow bowl or plate, combine panko bread crumbs, pecans, and parmesan cheese. Dip chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet and refrigerate for an hour. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Lightly spray oil on the chicken strips. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165ºF. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will need to cook the chicken in batches.

Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

What Air Fryer brand do you recommend? I have the Philips XXL Air Fryer and the Philips XL Air Fryer. I love them both, but I definitely recommend the Philips XXL Air Fryer. It is larger and can cook an entire meal at once.
- The basket in the Philips XL Air Fryer measures 7.5×7.5×3-inches
- The basket in the Philips XXL Air Fryer measures 9x9x3-inches
Do I need to preheat the air fryer? No. You can preheat it for a few minutes if you like, but it isn’t necessary. Just season the steak, place it in the air fryer basket and cook until it reaches the desired temperature.
I used chicken tenderloins for this recipe. You can substitute chicken breasts and cut them into strips.
Feel free to season the chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chili powder, or cayenne pepper for a kick.
If you need a low carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free dish, simply substitute crushed pork rinds for the panko crumbs.
You can use vegetable oil or olive oil spray.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can Chicken Tenders be frozen? Yes. I suggest freezing these after baking. Mayonnaise-based recipes don’t really freeze well. The mayonnaise tends to separate when it is frozen. To reheat the frozen chicken strips, cook them in the air fryer at 350ºF for 7 minutes.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken Fingers

This has quickly become one of our favorite air fryer recipes. I’ve made them several times and we LOVE them. I actually like to double the recipe so we can eat this leftover for lunch during the week. Serve the chicken with some french fries and your favorite dipping sauces. Jalapeño Ranch Dip, Raising Cane’s Sauce, sugar-free bbq sauce, buffalo sauce, or more honey mustard. These homemade chicken strips are equally delicious on top of a salad and even chopped up in a sandwich wrap. So run to the grocery store and grab the ingredients for these crispy air fryer chicken tenders!

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