Ditch the greasy mess and whip up restaurant-worthy Buffalo Chicken Tenders in minutes. This recipe delivers crispy perfection and juicy chicken, all made in the comfort of your air fryer.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders dunked into homemade blue cheese dressing.

Table of Contents

These chicken tenders cost around $17.96 to make. The recipe makes four servings, costing about $4.49 per serving.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

A round image of Jillian Wade, the creator behind Food Folks and Fun.

What sets these buffalo chicken tenders apart is the perfect balance of crispy and spicy with a touch of gourmet flair.

The homemade buffalo sauce brushed on at the end, delivers a perfect tangy heat that makes every bite unforgettable. This recipe is a delightful twist on the classic, designed for busy moms like me who want to serve up a delicious meal without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

A platter of air fryer buffalo chicken tenders.

What I Love About This Recipe

Easy Recipe: Cooking these chicken tenders in the Air Fryer is super simple compared to traditional frying or baking methods. With this recipe, you’ll also be able to quickly whip up a homemade blue cheese dressing to serve with these chicken tenders. It is a great option for an easy dinner or appetizer.
Better For You Alternative: The magic of the Air Fryer does the work for you, creating crispy tenders on the outside and extra juicy and tender on the inside without the added fat from deep frying the chicken tenders.
Versatile: These chicken tenders are delicious and can be served in a variety of ways. They can be served on their own, with dipping sauces, in sandwiches, or on top of salads.

Jillian's signature that says: happy eating, Jillian.

Ingredients and Estimated Cost

Per Serving Cost: $2.24

Recipe Cost: $8.93

1 pound chicken tenderloin – $4.29
2 eggs – $0.72
1 Tablespoon hot sauce – $0.15
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder – $0.06
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder – $0.04
1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt – 0.04
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper – $0.06
½ cup panko breadcrumbs – $0.64
¼ cup parmesan cheese – $0.80
¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs – $0.14
1 cup buffalo sauce – $1.99

NOTE: Recipe prices and the amounts needed are based on grocery store websites. Actual costs may vary depending on your ingredients.

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders

1. Make Wet Coating:

In a bowl or ziplock bag, combine the chicken tenderloins, eggs, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Seal the bag and mix until the chicken is fully coated.

2. Make Breadcrumb Coating:

In another bowl or ziplock bag, add the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Seal the bag and mix until combined.

3. Coat Chicken:

Take the chicken from the wet coating and add it to the breadcrumb coating.
Seal the bag and thoroughly coat each piece in the breadcrumb mixture.

4. Prep Air Fryer:

Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil spray and preheat it to 400°F.

5. Air Fry Chicken:

Place the coated chicken tenders in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not overlap. Spray the tops with a little more oil spray.
Cook at 400°F for 6 minutes, flip the tenders, and spray again. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

6. To Finish:

Remove the tenders from the air fryer. Use a pastry brush to coat them generously with buffalo sauce. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve with blue cheese dressing.

Equipment

Air Fryer
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoon
Liquid measuring cup
Mixing spoon

Recipe Variations

Milder Tenders: Reduce the amount of hot sauce in the wet coating or use a milder sauce.
Extra Crunchy: Add more panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier coating.
Cheesy Twist: Add more parmesan or a different cheese, like cheddar, to the breadcrumb mixture.
Different Sauce: Try using BBQ sauce or honey mustard instead of buffalo sauce.

Storage Tips

Refrigeration: Store any leftover tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Freeze uncooked, breaded tenders on a baking sheet, then transfer to a ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen in the air fryer, adding a few extra minutes.
Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes until heated.

Buffalo chicken tenders stacked on a white serving platter with celery sticks.

Recipe FAQs

How long to put tenders in air fryer?

It’ll take approximately twelve minutes to air fry these chicken tenders. You’ll cook the chicken tenders for six minutes per side. Use this timing as a guide, as each Air Fryer cooks differently, and the cooking time may vary slightly. Be sure the internal temperature of the chicken tenderloins reaches 165 degrees F. You can check this using a meat thermometer.

Why is my chicken tenders soggy from the air fryer?

One possibility is that the basket is overcrowded. When laying the tenders in the basket, do not overlap them. This can lead to uneven cooking and soggy chicken tenders.

Should I put oil on chicken before air frying?

Spray the basket with an olive oil spray before adding the chicken, and cook the chicken tenders for six minutes. Then, flip the chicken over and spray it with cooking oil. This will help create a crispy golden brown skin on the chicken tenders and prevent them from sticking to the basket.