How to cook frozen chicken tenders in an air fryer

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Air fryer chicken tenders (no breading) is the BEST way to enjoy flavorful low-carb and gluten-free chicken tenders in a variety of ways. Whether you are topping a salad, adding them to a veggie wrap, or simply snacking on these air fryer chicken tenderloins, you are going to love how quick and easy this whole recipe comes together.

With no breading and no eggs, your air fryer chicken tenders are going to work for everyone. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, low-carb, and keto-approved. You are not going to find any other recipe that packs so much flavor yet works for so many eating plans.

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins
• Ingredients 
• Making Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Recipe Tips
• Common Questions
• More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading) Keto, Whole30, GF

Serve the air fryer boneless chicken tenderloin with air fryer tater tots and our healthy coleslaw recipe to make a complete meal that takes less than 30 minutes that will please everyone in your home!

And if you’re looking for more ways to cook chicken tenders, be sure to try our pan-fried chicken tenders or instant pot chicken tenders from frozen!

Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins

Chicken tenders are seriously versatile food that doesn’t really get enough credit for all that they can do. In our home, we love them because they are quick and easy to cook up plus we can add as much flavor as we want.

For these air fryer chicken tenders no breading, we are ditching the typically breading option to make a light yet super flavorful option. Often we are eating them right out of the air fryer, but when we can restrain ourselves, you will find us chopping them up for a salad, adding them to a wrap, and even serving them alongside our favorite appetizers.

Why This Recipe Works

• No breading means you can enjoy these chicken tenders even if you have dietary restrictions, the healthy air fryer naked chicken tenders recipe is low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and keto-friendly too.
• Air fryer chicken tenders pack a powerhouse of flavor and the crunch you expect from traditional breaded tenders.
• With a cook time of just 9 minutes, your air fryer chicken tenders keto is ready faster than you can order take out and much faster than cooking in the oven.
• The whole recipe needs just 3 ingredients!

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenderloins
• Ingredients 
• Making Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Recipe Tips
• Common Questions
• More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (No Breading) Keto, Whole30, GF

Ingredients 

The Weight Watchers friendly and low carb air fryer chicken tenderloins with no breading will be one of the easiest recipes you make. With just three ingredients, you will have all of the prep work done while your air fryer heats up. And if you need more than 1lb of meat, simply double or triple all of the ingredients and cook in batches.

• 1 lb raw chicken tenders
• 2 tsp olive oil 
• sprinkle with 1+ tsp homemade dry rub or  store-bought chicken rub (look for brands that don’t add sugar, starch, or artificial ingredients)

Needed Supplies

To make your air fryer chicken tenders you’ll need an air fryer, of course. We use both our Omni Plus oven style air fryer and our small 3.2L Farberware basket style air fryer. Both fryers work great, but the basket style fryer may not accommodate a full pound if your tenders are large, which means you might need to cook the chicken in batches.

Your healthy air fryer chicken tenders are going to come together really quickly. With just 3 ingredients, all of the prep work is done in just a few moments. This recipe is so easy, it would be a great one to start your kids in the kitchen with.

To make your healthy air fryer chicken tenders:

Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 3-5 minutes.

Coat your chicken tenders with oil then sprinkle or brush the chicken rub on the chicken.

Press the rub into the chicken meat (This is important! It makes sure more of the rub stays on your tenders and less on your air fryer).

Air Fry Chicken Tenders Time

Air fry for 8-9 mins, flipping after 5 minutes. Technically, chicken tenders are so thin it’s ok to skip the flip, but I seem to do it out of habit.

*** Things that could affect your cook time:

If you didn’t preheat your air fryer your cooking time will be extended to 12-14 mins to cook through. Or could take longer than 8-9 if they’re larger chicken tenderloins than we used. Our 1 lb package of raw tenders had 8 pieces.

Cook your chicken tenders until the internal temperature is 160F-165 degrees. 

Recipe Tips

• This recipe is based on using thawed chicken tenders (see below for information on cooking from frozen).
• If you cannot find a rub you like feel free to utilize your favorite chicken herbs and spices.
• Flipping the chicken tenders is not necessary for even cooking, but we did find that the result was better when we filled after 5 minutes.
• Chicken tenders will need some air between them, so be sure not to overcrowd your fryer and lay them in a single layer. Cook in batches if necessary.
• Cooking the healthy naked low carb chicken tenders are great for meal prep too! Just double or triple the recipe and use them throughout the week or freeze them for later.
• Depending on your model type, the recipe could take less time or longer, to cook. If you skip the preheat the recipes will take about 12 minutes to cook. We do always suggest you preheat air fryer before cooking for even cooking.

Common Questions

Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Tenders in an Air Fryer?

The short answer is yes, you can make chicken tenders in the air fryer with frozen tenders. However, it will take 3-4 minutes longer to cook. Be sure you reach an internal temperature of 160F-165 degrees.

What to Serve with Chicken Tenders?

• Healthy coleslaw
• German potato salad
• Alfredo noodles or zoodles
• Chef salad
• Corn on the cob
• Air fryer broccoli

How to Reheat Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400F and reheat the chicken for 2-3 minutes until warmed through to an internal temperature of 160F.

Are Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Keto?

Unlike store-bought, pre-cooked chicken tenders, this recipe is! Without adding any breading we did not add any carbs to the air fryer chicken tenders. To keep air fryer chicken tenders keto and low carb, we recommend staying away from packaged chicken and cook it from fresh with seasoning of your choice. However, watch any sauces you may choose to use as they do tend to have hidden sugars and carbs in them.

Can you put raw chicken in an air fryer?

Using an air fryer to cook and heat up frozen foods is one of the most popular uses, but don’t stop there! Cooking foods like raw chicken in an air fryer, steak, seafood, snacks, and even desserts are possible too.

More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Frozen
• Keto Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast

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Ingredients

• 1 lb raw chicken tenders (8)
• 2 tsp avocado or olive oil 
• 1+ tsp store-bought or homemade chicken rub

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400F.

Coat your chicken tenders with oil then sprinkle or brush the chicken rub on the chicken. We used our homemade chicken rub recipe but any store-bought brand will work.

Press the rub into the chicken meat (This is important! It makes sure more of the rub stays on your tenders and less on your air fryer).

Air Fry Chicken Tenders Time

Air fry for a total of 8-9 mins on 400 F, flipping after 5 minutes. Technically, chicken tenders are so thin it's ok to skip the flip, but we prefer it.

*** Things that could affect your cook time:

If you didn't preheat your air fryer your cooking time will be extended to 12-14 mins to cook through. Or they could take longer than 8-9 if they're larger chicken tenderloins than we used. Our 1 lb package of raw tenders had 8 pieces.

Cook your chicken tenders until the internal temperature is 160 F-162 F, using a digital meat thermometer is highly recommended. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving, the chicken will continue to cook and will be at 165 F by that point.

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