21 Chicken Tenderloin Recipes in the Air Fryer (2024)

FAQs

What temp should chicken tenderloins be cooked at? ›

*165˚F IS THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN MUST REACH TO BE SAFE TO EAT.

Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on the air fryer basket, to allow for good air circulation, and cook at 360ºF for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken over, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Place the chicken on the air fryer basket / grate in an even layer, leaving a bit of space for air to circulate around. Air fry the chicken at 415 degrees for 10 minutes. If you have larger pieces of chicken, you'll want to go closer to 13 minutes. You're looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Place chicken tenders in an air fryer basket, making sure the pieces don't overlap. Cook in the air fryer at 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Turn chicken tenders over and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 8 more minutes.

Chicken tends to dry out more quickly when exposed to direct heat. Covering the chicken creates a barrier that prevents the top surface from drying out, resulting in tender meat.

Air fry according to the size of your chicken breasts — again, 4-5oz breasts will take 10-12 minutes, 6-8oz breasts will take 13-15 minutes, and 9-120z breasts could take 16-20 minutes — or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees as measured by an instant read thermometer, flipping the chicken breasts ...

Place chicken in air fryer basket, standing against sides of basket if necessary. Set to 350°F; cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken; cook 5 to 8 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).

Even if your air fryer has top-notch air circulation from its fan, you need to give most larger pieces of food (such as pork chops, burgers, and chicken cutlets) a turn about halfway through cooking.

While the need for oil in air frying is not as great as when using an oven or frying something on a pan, a small amount of oil can go a long way in keeping your food moist and providing that golden brown color.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

How do you not overcook chicken in an air fryer? ›

Chicken breasts should be cooked to 160°F, but if you cook them all the way to that temperature in the air fryer, carryover cooking will take them beyond that temp and cause them to dry out. Stop the cooking five degrees sooner and let carryover cooking do the rest.

Why is my air fryer chicken tough? The most likely reason for tough chicken in the air fryer is overcooking. Be sure to cook it to only 160-degrees and then allow it to rest for 5-minutes tented with foil.

Can you stack chicken tenders in an air fryer? No one's going to stop you, but it's a pretty bad idea! Not only will your tenders stick together as the crust cooks, but you're also keeping each side of the tender from crisping up and preventing the meat from cooking thoroughly.

Pro Tip: Air Frying Chicken Strips

Try our NEW low carb Chicken Strips or Nuggets in the air fryer instead of the microwave or oven. Air fry 10 Frozen Chicken Nuggets at 330 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or 4-6 Frozen Chicken Strips for 8-12 minutes at 330 degrees F, or until the internal temperature hits 165*.

Given the fact that drumsticks and thighs are dark meat and won't dry out as easily as breasts, the range from 350 to 450 degrees is okay for baking them. 350 to 375 is generally best for breasts. The best answer to these questions? Simply check the chicken for doneness using an instant read thermometer.

The FDA Food Code recommends cooking chicken to 165°F (74°C). But the pasteurization of chicken is actually a function of both temperature and time. If you can hold your chicken at 145°F (63°C) for 8.5 minutes, you can achieve the same bacterial reduction as at 165°F (74°C).

Temperature and Timing

Our go-to temp for baking boneless chicken breast is 375 degrees, and the cook time is about 20 minutes. The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. It should be removed from the oven and allowed to sit for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.

No matter what's on your menu, the USDA states that the internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165° for food safety.