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Pinch Me Good! » Air Fryer Recipes » Air Fryer Chicken Tenders -Low-Carb and Gluten-Free

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders -Low-Carb and Gluten-Free

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These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are so simple to make and they come out super crispy and juicy. Top them with a tasty sweet and spicy sauce and this is an easy weeknight recipe the whole family will love! Ready in 15 minutes or less!

Crispy breaded chicken tenders on a round white plate with a mixed green salad and a bowl fo red sauce next tot it.

My family loved these flavorful, golden chicken strips that I served for dinner last night with some oven-roasted potatoes and asparagus. The kids literally devoured them and they didn’t even mind the sweet and spicy sauce.

They make the easiest weeknight dinner that is low-carb, gluten-free, and filling. Easy air fryer recipes are such a go-to for me when I am short on time. Some favorites are Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts, Air fryer BBQ Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, and this Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken.

And if you love fajitas, then these Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas are a MUST-TRY recipe!

A pile of crispy breaded chicken tenderloins on a grey plate.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This a super simple yet crazy delicious air fryer chicken recipe.
  • Loaded with sweet and spicy flavors.
  • Healthier and lighter than other air fryer breaded chicken recipes.
  • Low-carb, KETO-friendly, and gluten-free!
  • You can make it in 15 minutes!
  • This a recipe your whole family will love!
  • Flavorful, juicy chicken every single time, thanks to the air fryer!

Making low-carb crispy chicken tenders

  • Instead of using breadcrumbs which typically contain lots of carbs and gluten (although you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs), use almond flour blended with herbs and spices as the coating on the chicken. Which also keeps them gluten-free as well.
  • Most of the time, 1 cup of breadcrumbs contains up to 78 grams of carbs, which is quite a bit compared to about 12 grams of carbs for 1 cup of almond flour. What a huge difference.
  • Not to mention the health benefits you get from the almonds like healthy fat, iron, vitamin E, and potassium to name a few. Plus almond flour is naturally gluten-free! Also, there is so much flavor in this almond flour blend, it’s simply amazing!

Ingredients for these air fryer chicken tenders

Pile of raw chicken tenderloins on a round white plate with a bowl of almond flour and 2 eggs in back of it. With bowls of salt and pepper, butter, honey and hot sauce in front of it on a white surface.

How to make chicken tenders in the air fryer from scratch

Be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of recipe ingredients and step-by-step, detailed instructions.

  1. Coat the chicken in egg then in the breading mixture.
  2. Cook the chicken tenders in the air fryer at 390 degrees F in a single layer for 7-8 minutes. Flip and cook for 4-5 more minutes. Per the recipe card below.
  3. Make the sweet and spicy sauce. Per the recipe card below.
  4. Serve. You can serve these chicken tenders in two ways. Coat all of the chicken in the sauce or just drizzle it over the top of the chicken with an extra drizzle of honey.
Bowl of whisked eggs next to a bowl of breading with raw chicken in it with a plate of sliced raw chicken behind it.
Set up a dredging station
2 raw chicken tenders in a bowl filled with whisked egg
Coat the chicken in the egg
2 raw chicken tenders in a bowl filled with almond flour and spices
Then in the almond flour mixture
Round white textured plate with a pile of raw breaded chicken on it
Place the coated chicken onto a plate
Coated chicken tenders in an air fryer basket
Lay chicken in air fryer basket
Cooked chicken tenders in an aire fraye basket
Cook for 11 minutes
Plate of golden chicken tenders with a cup of red hot sauce behind it
Make the sauce
Spoon drizzling hot sauce onto crispy air fired chicken
Top the chicken with the sauce

So delicious, crispy, and juicy! You are going to love this recipe and probably want to make it all the time, it’s that good!

Recipe Tips

  • You can use whole wheat breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs in place of almond flour. Of course, then this recipe would no longer be low-carb.
  • Use barbecue sauce in place of the hot sauce in this recipe if you don’t like spicy food.
  • Try to select chicken tenderloins that are similar in size and weight so they cook more evenly.
  • You can store these air fryer chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 360 degrees F for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through.

How long do you cook chicken tenders in the air fryer?

This really depends on the size (i.e weight) of the chicken you are using but in general, I cook them at 390 degrees F for 7 minutes on one side then flip and cook for 4 minutes. Check them after that to see if they are done, using a meat thermometer. If the internal temperature is 165 degrees F then they are done. If not then cook them for a couple more minutes.

Note: In order for the chicken to be safe to eat, it must be cooked until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Can I make this chicken recipe in the oven?

To make these in the oven, place them in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and bake them at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked to 165 degrees F as noted above.

Round grey plat with a pile of golden crispy chicken tenders on it, covered in hot sauce and sprinkled with dried parsley with a cup of hot sauce behind it.

What to serve with chicken tenders

These crispy chicken tenderloins pair great with so many other recipes. They go great with some crispy fries or sweet potato fries for a fun homemade meal the kids will love. Or try these sweet potato chips! You can also serve them with some roasted broccoli, asparagus, or an easy kale salad for a healthy, light but satisfying dinner.

More easy air fryer chicken recipes

Plate of crisp chicken with a fork on the plate with a pice of sliced chicken on the fork.

Did you try this air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe? If you did then please leave a rating and comment below, I would love to hear from you.

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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders – Low-Carb and Gluten-Free

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 21 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

These easy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are simple to make and they come out perfectly crispy and delicious thanks to the air fryer. Top them with an amazingly spicy, sweet sauce and you are going to love them! Low-Carb and Gluten-Free!

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken tenders

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 chicken tenders – about 1.5 lbs
  • Olive oil cooking spray 

For the sweet and spicy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Dredge the chicken.  Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and season them with salt and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the almond flour with the garlic powder, parsley, paprika, and some more salt and pepper. Dip each chicken tender into the egg then in the almond flour mixture and set aside on a clean plate. Continue until you have coated all of the chicken. 
  2. Cook. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F and spray the basket with olive oil spray. Lay some of the chicken tenders in an even layer into the air fryer basket and spray them with more olive oil spray. Close and cook them for 7 minutes. Then flip them over and spray the other side with more olive oil spray and cook them for an additional 4-5 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Cook in batches if needed. 
  3. Mix up the sauce. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Once the butter is fully melted, add hot sauce, honey, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Whisk that all together and let it cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Set aside. 
  4. Top and serve. Once all of the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a platter or clean plate and top it with the sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

  • Breadcrumbs will work in place of the almond flour if you need to keep this recipe nut-free. Although it will alter the taste a bit, they will still be delicious!
  • BBQ sauce works great in place of buffalo sauce if that is not your thing. 
  • You can store these chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them at 360 degrees F in the air fryer until warmed through. 
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 11
  • Category: Healthy dinner ideas
  • Method: aie fryer
  • Cuisine: America
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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Amy

      Thank you Jennifer! I am so happy you liked it! I would love if you could give it a rating so other people can easily find it as well! Thanks!

      Reply

        • Amy Estes

          Hi Ashley, I haven’t tried freezing them. My guess is they will probably freeze fine but will not stay as crispy when you thaw and reheat them. They are best if eaten right after you make them.

          Reply

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