Crispy Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer
Quick and easy recipe for crispy chicken tenders cooked in the air fryer. Perfect for a fast dinner or a tasty snack.
Steps
- 1
Pat the chicken strips dry with paper towels. Set up a breading station with three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Coat each chicken strip in flour (shake off excess), then dip in egg, and finally coat with the panko mixture. Press gently to adhere.
- 3
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 3 minutes. Lightly spray the basket with cooking spray.
- 4
Place the breaded strips in a single layer in the basket (cook in batches if needed). Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 18 minutes, flipping halfway (after 9 minutes).
- 5
Check that the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F). Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Shopping list
450g chicken breast strips, 60g all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 120g panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, cooking spray as needed
Recipe story
Crispy chicken tenders are a modern reinterpretation of a classic American dish, popularized in the southern United States. Their origins can be traced back to Scottish cuisine, where chicken was fried in fat, and immigrants brought this technique to America, where it evolved with the addition of breadcrumbs and spices. The recipe has become a symbol of comfort food, now adapted for the air fryer for a lighter version.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Paprika
Paprika, a emblematic spice brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Although associated with Hungarian cuisine, its origins are in Central America, where it was used by the Aztecs.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
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