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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders

    Modified: Mar 5, 2025 · Published: May 28, 2019 by Kristin · This post may contain affiliate links. · 6 Comments

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    These Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders are crispy, simple to prepare, and much healthier than the fried alternative. Family friendly and kid approved, these are ready to enjoy in under 15 minutes!

    crispy chicken tenders in an air fryer basket

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    Are you an air fryer fan? Honestly, I was quite skeptical until I actually bought one. I kept seeing posts and pictures, but didn’t really see the point of another kitchen appliance. It wasn’t until we went over to our friends house for dinner and they made French fries in theirs, that I knew….I needed one.

    Yes, French fries sold me on it! In fact, frozen French fries nonetheless. Crazy, right? My family LOVES French fries, but preparing homemade takes time that we don’t always have. Even preparing store bought fries takes time to fully crisp up in the oven. Using the air fryer though, takes no time and they are perfectly crispy. In fact, my kids compared them to McDonald’s….which is their fav, so definitely a compliment!

    After mastering fries (its more method than recipe), we decided to move on to chicken tenders. I have typically bought frozen, pre-breaded, chicken tenders from the store and used those for my kids. After a few trial runs (aka major fails), this recipe is our new go to.

    Perfectly crisp, packed with flavor, and incredibly simple to make…..I’ll never go back to frozen tenders again! You can play around with the seasonings to add some variety or even serve with my Southern Comeback Sauce!

    ranch coated chicken tenders prepped and ready to be air fried

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll LOVE these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
    • Ingredients for Ranch Chicken Tenders
    • How to make Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders
    • What to Serve with Ranch Chicken Tenders
    • Dipping Sauce Options
    • Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders Recipe

    Why You’ll LOVE these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

    • Simple and Quick- ready to devour in under 20 minutes
    • Tastes like they’ve been deep fried, but they haven’t- same juicy, crispness as deep fried, but no frying needed
    • Just as good reheated- simply reheat the leftovers in the air fryer when ready to enjoy round two
    • Uses simple ingredients- uses only a few ingredients, which you may already have on hand

    Ingredients for Ranch Chicken Tenders

    A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

    • Chicken- tenders are easier to use as they are already sliced, however, you can also use chicken breast cut into strips
    • Breadcrumbs- I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, any type works though
    • Egg/Water- this will help the coating stick to the chicken as well as keep the chicken moist
    • Ranch Seasoning- adds great flavor, you can also make a homemade version of Ranch seasoning if desired
    • Spray Oil- canola, olive, or avocado oil are all great options

    How to make Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders

    Just a few simple steps are needed to make these incredibly crisp, tender, chicken tenders…

    1. In a shallow container, combine the water and egg. Set aside.
    2. Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow container.
    3. Sprinkle the Ranch seasoning evenly over chicken tenders, coating thoroughly.
    4. Dip each seasoned chicken tender into theegg mixture followed by the breadcrumbs. Coat both sides.
    5. Place coated chicken tenders in a single layer inside the air fryer.
    6. Once coated and chicken is in single layer (you may have to break into batches), cook at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Flip tenders over halfway through cook cycle and spray with a bit of cooking spray.
    7. Repeat cooking cycle if needing to do batches otherwise serve immediately!

    What to Serve with Ranch Chicken Tenders

    I typically serve these chicken tenders with some French fries or BBQ Baked Beans. I like to keep this meal super kid friendly and easy! Another great option would be to serve these tenders with a salad or some fresh fruit/vegetables! My kids go crazy over my Parmesan Roasted Brussel Sprouts, so perhaps give those a try!

    Dipping Sauce Options

    With so many sauces available, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few of our favorites…

    • Southern Comeback Sauce– a creamy, Southern sauce perfect to dip your tenders into
    • Alabama White BBQ Sauce– if you love BBQ sauce, this recipe is a must try
    • Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce– a tried and true at home version of the classic favorite
    • Ketchup
    • Ranch
    • Hot Sauce
    • Buffalo Sauce

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    Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders Recipe

    Recipe by: Kristin
    These Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Tenders are healthier than deep fried, and have tons of flavor! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
    4.10 from 10 votes
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    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Servings 6
    Calories 308 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders *I had about 8 strips from 2 large breasts
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 packet Ranch seasoning
    • Cooking spray (olive oil or canola oil)

    Instructions
     

    • In a shallow container, combine the mayonnaise, water, and egg. Set aside.
    • Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow container.
    • Sprinkle the Ranch seasoning evenly over chicken tenders, coating thoroughly.
    • Dip each seasoned chicken tender into the mayo mixture followed by the breadcrumbs. Coat both sides.
    • Place coated chicken tenders in a single layer inside the air fryer.
    • Once coated and chicken is in single layer (you may have to break into batches), cook at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Flip tenders over halfway through cook cycle and spray with a bit of cooking spray.
    • Repeat cooking cycle if needing to do batches otherwise serve immediately!

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from: Kitchen Dreaming

    Nutrition

    Calories: 308kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 20gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 699mgPotassium: 325mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 74IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @TheCookinChicks or tag #TheCookinChicks!

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    Comments

    1. Sharon says

      April 16, 2020 at 2:28 pm

      When do you use the canola spray?

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        April 16, 2020 at 2:33 pm

        Sorry about that, I have edited the recipe to reflect that into the directions!

        Reply
    2. Carol says

      June 13, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      I found that the breading was coming
      Off of the chicken.
      Why is that?

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        June 14, 2019 at 8:03 am

        Try patting the chicken down prior to dipping in the mayo. Perhaps it was too wet before starting? The mayo is thicker than the typical egg mixture, so it shouldn’t fall off. You can also try omitting some of the liquid from the mayo mixture to make it thicker.

        Reply
    3. Ruby says

      June 03, 2019 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      I’d love to try this recipe. Was there a specific brand used on breadcrumbs and ranch seasoning?

      Can’t wait to make this for my picky eater who happens to love chicken tenders.

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        June 03, 2019 at 4:40 pm

        It is quite tasty! For the Ranch seasoning, I typically use Hidden Valley. As for the breadcrumbs, I use Vigo brand, or Italian breadcrumbs, store brand! Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    4.10 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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    Welcome to The Cookin' Chicks…I am so glad you've stopped by! I am Kristin, a busy mom of 3, a wife, and a family chef! There are three things that motivate me each day - Family, Faith, and FOOD! I, along with the occasional help of friends and family, want to share my food creations with you! So, I invite you to join me around my dinner table through the recipes that I will share with you here. I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I do!

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