• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Policies
    • Privacy
    • Disclosure
    • Official Rules
  • Recent Posts

A Magical Mess

Finding Magic in Every Mess

  • Make Food
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks & Appetizers
    • Dessert
    • Magical Treats
    • Drinks
  • Live Life
    • Pets & Family
    • Self-Care
      • Daith Piercing Journey
    • Entertainment
  • Get Creative
    • Crafts & DIY
    • Household
You are here: Home / Make Food / Lunch and Dinner / Crispy Air Fried Chicken Tenders

Lunch and Dinner

Crispy Air Fried Chicken Tenders

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.

Jump to Recipe
629shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
Chicken tenders in a bowl and cooling on a wire rack.
Crispy chicken strips on a wire rack.
Crispy chicken strips in a bowl and dipped in BBQ sauce.
Crispy air fryer chicken strips on a rack and in a bowl.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CrispyCreations #CollectiveBias #CrispyChicken

Air fried chicken tenders are one of the first foods I want to master with my new air fryer. I finally jumped on the air fryer bandwagon, and can instantly see the hype. 

Chicken tenders in a bowl and cooling on a wire rack.

My mission is to create the crispiest air fried chicken tenders without the use of breadcrumbs. 

Secret Ingredient for Crispiest Chicken

Argo® Corn Starch is the secret ingredient for the crispiest chicken. Add corn starch to your crispy coating batter. Whether you bake, deep fry, or air fry, Argo® Corn Starch is what you need to create the crispiest chicken with an airy texture. 

Tub of Argo Corn Starch

One of our favorite foods to eat is fried chicken. In the form of a nugget, strip, tender, or otherwise, it’s a food normally purchased via takeout. 

My goal is to make the crispiest chicken from home so I can control the ingredients and save money. 

Bowl of chicken strips with Argo Corn Starch in the background.

About Argo® Corn Starch

Argo® Corn Starch has many uses beyond chicken. Do you remember the tub from childhood? I sure do, and my Gram still always has a container of Argo® Corn Starch in the cabinet. Makes sense since it’s been a trusted brand for over 100 years!

Be sure to visit their site for more recipes.

Crispy chicken coating batter in a bowl.

Here are some uses and benefits of using cornstarch:

  • Use as a thickening agent in sauces, soups, and gravies.
  • Acts as a binding agent in baked goods.
  • Create crispy meats and veggies quickly (flash-frying).
  • Use in crafts such as sidewalk chalk and slime.
  • Naturally gluten-free.

Using the Air Fryer to Make Crispy Chicken Tenders

In the past, if I chose to bread chicken, I’d use crushed crackers or breadcrumbs. Although a decent option, I never fell in love with the texture. I also prefer to avoid all the added carbs. 

After hearing that Argo® Corn Starch is the secret ingredient to crispiness, I was eager to give it a test. Please know you do not need an air fryer to try the crispy chicken. Simply add Argo® Corn Starch to your preferred coating batter.

Chicken coat in flour mixture with Argo corn starch.

I’ve used the flour mixture in this recipe without the Argo® Corn Starch many times before. So, it’s clear to me the difference that adding Argo® Corn Starch makes. Undoubtedly, it’s the ticket to crispy!

If you are on the air fryer train, here’s the recipe I created for air fried chicken tenders. 

Steps to make crispy chicken strips
Continue to Content
Yield: 10 chicken tenders

Crispy Air Fried Chicken Tenders

Overhead shot of chicken strips

How to make super crispy chicken tenders in the air fryer.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Cool time 5 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup Argo® Corn Starch
  • 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • .5 tsp salt
  • cooking spray
  • choice of dips

Instructions

  1. Cut chicken breast into tenders. Or purchase packaged chicken tenders.
  2. Mix flour, Argo® Corn Starch, cheese, seasoning, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Coat chicken pieces with flour mixture. Discard any unused mixture.
  4. Line air fryer with aluminum foil.
  5. Spray coated chicken pieces with cooking spray evenly.
  6. Air fry chicken tenders at 380 degrees for 15 minutes. Increase heat to 400 degrees and air fry an additional 3 minutes. Check using a meat thermometer.
  7. Cool chicken on a rack before serving. Serve with choice of dips and a side salad.

Notes

Don't overpack the air fryer. Air needs to circulate properly between each piece of chicken. I used a rack to create two layers of chicken. The pieces on the top rack browned better.

Be sure to spray cooking spray or oil evenly on the chicken pieces. If you miss any spots, they won't crisp well in that area. I checked after a few minutes to find floury spots to do another spritz.  

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Argo Cornstarch 
    Argo Cornstarch 
  • Ninja Air Fryer
    Ninja Air Fryer

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1 chicken tender

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 15g

Nutrition facts are an estimate only.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to see your recreation. Tag me in your photos!

Cuisine: American / Category: Snacks and Appetizers
Phillips Premium Airfryer
Phillips Premium Airfryer
$187.45
Buy from Amazon Learn More
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
02/28/2021 05:36 am GMT

Yum, yum, YUM! Crispy chicken strips achieved. This is the first time I’ve had that crunch we crave in a chicken strip made from home. 

Crispy air fried chicken strips on a rack.

Argo® Corn Starch is most definitely the key to crispy chicken strips. The coating locks in the moisture, too, creating juicy bites of chicken that are delicious even without dip. 

More chicken recipes to try next

  • Parmesan crusted chicken
  • Hasselback chicken with spinach
  • Easy parmesan chicken sliders

For dessert make cookies in the air fryer, too!

Be sure to grab some Argo® Corn Starch during your next grocery shopping trip!


About Jennifer

Jennifer is the founder of A Magical Mess. She is married to a wonderful man, and together they live with their three rescue dogs. Jen is an entrepreneur at heart. Hobbies and interests include working, reading, playing word games, and learning new things.

Free Printable Fairy Activity Sheets!

Privacy Policy
« Keto Treats to Prevent Boredom
Protein Powder for Sensitive Stomachs »

Comments

  1. Gail says

    October 21, 2019 at 11:52 am

    Oh so smart using corn starch! We only like crispy chicken in this house – I’ll need to try this!!

  2. Kathy says

    October 23, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    How many tenders is considered a serving in order to apply the nutritional information correctly? Want to make this for my daughter who has a lot of food allergies and finds it hard to get enough nutrition in her limited diet.

    • Jennifer says

      October 23, 2019 at 5:42 pm

      HI Kathy,
      The nutrition facts in the recipe card are for one tender. So, one serving is one tender.
      Hope that helps. Thanks!

About Me

Welcome to A Magical Mess! My name is Jen. Click my picture to learn more. 
Jen Soltys and her little dog

Get free unicorn coloring pages!

unicorn coloring pages on workspace with art supplies

Unicorn Coloring Pages

A Magical Mess is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

You May Also Like

Stacked turkey melts on a plate.

Build Tastier Turkey Melts

Mocha coffee bomb candy sitting next to a mug full of coffee.

Mocha Coffee Bombs

Tilted glass of raspberry frappe next to pink straws and fresh raspberries.

Cotton Candy Frappuccino

Mug filled with green hot chocolate with rainbow marshmallows next to cocoa bombs and sprinkles.

Green Hot Chocolate Bombs

Top of layered jello with whipped cream dollop.

Valentine’s Day Layered Jello

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316