Super crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside and seasoned to perfection, these Air Fryer buffalo chicken tenders are absolutely addictive! They come together super quick, use minimal effort and kitchen ingredients and are packed with protein and gluten-free too.
Spicy food is my obsession, and naturally, I keep trying lots of spicy recipes whenever I can. My Sichuan chili oil is getting a ton of love, and my TikTok viral pickled garlic is an all time favorite.
And while everyone's been loving all the condiments I've been whipping up, a lot of times, I keep getting asked about good ideas and recipes to put them to use. And that's when I thought of actually making and putting up some side recipes using those condiments too!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
Whether you're looking for a quick appetizer to make for a get-together you're hosting or just something healthier to enjoy on a movie night, these crispy air fried buffalo chicken tenders are sure to be a winner!
What's best is the fact that you can adjust the seasonings to your liking too. Plus, making them is so so easy!
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: I used chicken breasts, which I sliced into thin strips to turn into chicken tenders. You could use almost any other cut of chicken too, but I would highly recommend using boneless chicken for this recipe.
Buffalo sauce: I'm absolutely obsessed with my homemade buffalo sauce, which I used for this recipe. It takes just a few minutes to make and is a keeper. You could, of course, just use your store-bought buffalo sauce instead.
Cornflakes: I used crushed cornflakes to coat the chicken, and this is what gave the chicken that extra crunchy exterior.
Seasonings: To season, I used garlic powder, mixed herbs and some cayenne.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you want the chicken tenders to have some extra crispiness, first coat them in a mixture of cornflour and water, and then cover them with the crushed cornflakes.
- If you're not sensitive to gluten, you can just use regular breadcrumbs instead!
- To add some extra flavor to the chicken tenders, use some homemade chaat masala, or swap your regular salt for some jalapeno salt or sriracha salt.
- Want the chicken tenders to have some extra bit of heat? Add some jalapeno flakes into the mix!
How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
To make these crispy buffalo tenders, start by preheating your Air Fryer at 300 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the chicken tenders, buffalo sauce, cayenne, mixed herbs and some garlic powder.
In a separate bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes, cayenne, garlic powder and mixed herbs.
Transfer the chicken tenders to the other bowl, one or two at a time, and ensure that they're nicely coated in the cornflakes mixture.
Layer them in the greased Air Fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy.
💭Top Tip
For an extra punch of flavor and to get those chicken tenders nice and crispy again, brush some habanero oil on them before air frying them.
How to Store the Leftover Air Fried Chicken Tenders
You can store your leftover air fried buffalo tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator and they should stay good for 2-3 days. You can then reheat them in the microwave or use your Air Fryer again if you want them to retain that crunchy texture.
If you want to prep these, just let the tenders marinate in the buffalo sauce mixture overnight. Cover up the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate it. You can then coat the tenders and air fry them the next day.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To bring a bit of tanginess to the chicken tenders, you can also add a splash of hot pepper vinegar (or just regular vinegar) to the marinade!
- Make sure you grease the Air Fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil before you add in the chicken tenders. This will help keep them from sticking to the basket.
- Don't overcrowd the Air Fryer basket with too many tenders all at the same time, or they may not crisp up at all. Leave a little space between each tender to allow the hot air to flow throughout the basket.
- Also remember to flip the chicken tenders midway through the cooking time to ensure they get crispy on both the sides.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These wicked delicious buffalo chicken tenders taste fantastic on their own, or when drizzled some extra buffalo sauce. Whenever I'm making these for game day or a party, I always pair them with some other fun dips like jalapeno mayo, black pepper aioli, nacho cheese sauce or some garlic habanero hot sauce for a crowd who loves all things spicy.
Another great idea is to drizzle a bit of habanero hot honey or jalapeno honey over the top, right before you serve.
You can also chop up your leftover chicken tenders and add them to your salad bowl to bump up its protein content. You can also use them in your sandwiches, wraps and homemade burgers.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to check for the doneness of the chicken is to use a meat thermometer. If the internal temperature reads 165 degrees or more, the chicken is ready.
If you don't have a meat thermometer, just slice the chicken and check its center. If it is no longer pink and the juices run clear, the chicken is done.
You definitely can! Simply arrange them on a lined baking sheet and pop them in an oven preheated at 425 degrees, and cook for 15 minutes, flipping them midway.
You definitely can! They may need a couple of minutes less to cook through too!
Related Recipes
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If you tried this Air Fryer buffalo chicken tenders or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
Instructions
- To make these crispy buffalo tenders, start by preheating your Air Fryer at 300 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken tenders, buffalo sauce, cayenne, mixed herbs and some garlic powder.
- In a separate bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes, cayenne, garlic powder and mixed herbs.
- Transfer the chicken tenders to the other bowl, one or two at a time, and ensure that they're nicely coated in the cornflakes mixture.
- Layer them in the greased Air Fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy.
Notes
- For an extra punch of flavor and to get those chicken tenders nice and crispy again, brush some habanero oil on them before air frying them.
- To bring a bit of tanginess to the chicken tenders, you can also add a splash of hot pepper vinegar (or just regular vinegar) to the marinade!
- Make sure you grease the Air Fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil before you add in the chicken tenders. This will help keep them from sticking to the basket.
- Don't overcrowd the Air Fryer basket with too many tenders all at the same time, or they may not crisp up at all. Leave a little space between each tender to allow the hot air to flow throughout the basket.
- Also remember to flip the chicken tenders midway through the cooking time to ensure they get crispy on both the sides.
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