Frozen Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer Recipe

Frozen food is one of the go-to foods when you want a quick snack or need an in-a-hurry meal. While frozen chicken tenders seem easy, a good technique and a proper recipe will make them even better without compromising speed. This recipe will even be better with the help of an air fryer.

Why This Recipe Works/ Why We Like This Recipe

• This recipe is convenient.
• This is a quick recipe, so it’s perfect whenever you don’t have too much time on your hands.
• It provides a thorough step-by-step process making it easier for you to follow.
• Apart from being very understandable, the process is also enjoyable. There is no dead air, just an overall enjoyable experience.
• A new recipe is a new opportunity to learn, and this recipe helps you learn a lot along the way.

What You Will Need

Ingredients:

• Chicken (Chicken breasts mini fillets)
• Breadcrumbs
• Flour
• 2 Eggs
• Salt
• White pepper or black pepper
• Oregano
• Smoked paprika
• Chili flakes
• Oil

Equipment:

• Mixing bowls
• Air fryer

How to Make Frozen Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer Recipe

Step 1. Prepare the defrosted chicken tenders

Gather all the ingredients on a table and ensure they are complete and ready.

 

Step 2: Mix up spices

Get the breadcrumbs and add all the spices together, creating a bowl of flavors. Next, pour the smoked paprika, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and white or black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the spices are well incorporated with the bread crumbs.

 

Step 3. Complete the breading station

Time to crack both eggs and beat them. Prepare the flour and place them with the breadcrumbs mix. The breading station is now ready.

 

Step 4. Line the breading station up

The first bowl would be the flour, the beaten eggs, and the seasoned breadcrumbs.

 

Step 5. Dip the chicken in flour

First, dip the chicken into the bowl of flour, completing the first layer.

 

Step 6. Dip the chicken in an egg

To strengthen the bond of the first layer, dip the chicken tenders in the beaten egg.

 

Step 7. Dip the chicken in breadcrumbs

The last layer beautifully combines all the layers and completes the flavors. Repeat until all chicken is covered well with the layers.

 

Step 8. Preheat and set up the air fryer

Set the air fryer to air fry and set it to 200 degrees Celsius. The preheating and cooking process could take 10 to 12 minutes so set the timer within those durations.

 

Step 9. Line up the chicken in the air fryer

Line the pieces of meat neatly and spray some oil on top of them. Shut the lid and wait for three to four minutes before opening them up and turning them over.

 

Step 10. Waiting game

After turning the meat over, wait for them until they are done.

Tips and Tricks

• For a fair distribution of oil on the chicken, it would be helpful to put some oil in a spray bottle. This way, you won’t have to need to brush and bother the layers of coating on the chicken.
• Garlic-infused oil is also a good option, as it can enhance the flavor while gearing it up for air frying.
• If you are sensitive to powdered spices like pepper, mix them more slowly, and do not position your face too close to the mixing bowl. In fact, you can take a break and let the powders settle first before returning to the workstation.
• Flipping the chicken after a few minutes helps in giving it the ample crunch it needs. This process also creates balance in how all the sides are cooked.
• You can dip your cooked chicken tenders in your choice of sauce! Perhaps you are a mayo person or maybe a cheese dip, and so many possibilities are available for you.
• You can cook this recipe using any type of air dryer too. However, it’s really up to you if you have an inclination to specific styles like health grills, different aesthetics, and others.

Common FAQ

Can the frozen meat be stacked in the air fryer?

It is not a problem if you stack them. However, these tenders will require a slightly longer cooking time to achieve the desired level of crispiness.

Is it really healthier to use the air fryer?

Air-frying is your best bet if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to deep-fried chicken. Aside from using less oil, you can still retain the crunch, and tender cooking deep frying offers. Also, when cooking oilier meat like pork, there’s no need to use oil, so that you can save so much more collectively.

Is it okay to use any part of chicken meat?

While it’s okay to use any part of the chicken, it’s best to use boneless cuts because it’s for chicken tenders, after all. After that, you can use chicken breast or chicken strips, preferably.

How long do the chicken tenders cook in the air fryer?

Considering that you’ve used a preheating method, the cooking time does not exceed 15 minutes, so it’s great for quick meals. The usual time would be 10 minutes; if longer, it would just be by two or 3 minutes.

How to check if the chicken is cooked?

You can utilize a cooking thermometer and see if it’s already 160 degrees. If so, the chicken is done. If you do not have a thermometer, you can always check a piece of meat. Usually, after 10 minutes of cooking, the boneless chickens are already done.

Is it okay to use an air fryer for frozen foods?

You can use an Air-Fryer to quickly and easily prepare frozen meals, whether you need some for an event or want to make some snacks.

Summary

This frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer recipe save you a lot of cooking time which you can spend on other activities instead. In fact, you can make this in as quick as 20 minutes, including preparation. Using only a few ingredients always available in your pantry, you can enjoy some of the best-frozen chicken tenders.