Air-fryer chicken tenders
40 min · 48 g protein · 342 cals / serving
Crunchy, golden chicken tenders with a crushed cornflake and parmesan coating, cooked in the air fryer instead of a pot of oil. A tangy yogurt marinade keeps the inside juicy, and a quick honey mustard dip is ready by the time they are.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into 2 cm (3/4-inch) strips
Marinade
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
Coating
- 1 1/2 cups corn flakes, measured whole, then crushed
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil, in a spray bottle or brushed
Honey mustard dip
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp honey
Steps
- Stir the yogurt, Dijon, garlic powder and salt together in a bowl, add the chicken strips and turn to coat. Marinate 15 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the fridge.
- Mix the crushed cornflakes, parmesan, paprika and pepper on a plate. Lift each strip from the marinade, let the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the crumbs on all sides.
- Heat the air fryer to 400°F. Lay the tenders in a single layer with space between them, mist or brush with the oil, and cook 10–12 minutes, turning halfway, until deep golden and the thickest one reads 165°F. Work in batches rather than crowding.
- Stir the dip ingredients together and serve with the hot tenders.
Good to know
Why yogurt instead of egg?
It does two jobs: it is thick enough to hold the crumbs, and its acidity tenderizes the chicken while it sits. Even a 15-minute soak makes a difference.
No air fryer?
Bake on a rack set over a sheet pan at 425°F for 15–18 minutes, turning once. The rack lets air reach the underside so it crisps instead of steaming.
How fine should the cornflakes be?
Like coarse sand with a few bigger flakes. Too fine and the coating goes powdery; too chunky and it falls off. A zip-top bag and a rolling pin are all you need.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 171
- Protein
- (58%)
- 24 g
- Fat
- (23%)
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- (19%)
- 8 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 390 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1368 kcal goes into the pot and 1058 g of ingredients comes out as about 800 g of food: 171 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.