These Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are covered in a cheese cracker crust and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Perfect for weeknight meals, snacks or party food.

These cheesy chicken tenders disappear quickly because they are tender and tasty. The kids love them. We use our favorite cheese snack cracker crushed in a food chopper for the crust.

Cheesy Chicken Tenders on a plate in the background of a chicken tender on a fork cut in half so you see the meat inside

Cheesy Chicken Tenders are a nice change from the normal flour or bread crumb crusted chicken tenders.

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Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Ingredients

2 to 2.5 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders, thawed
2 Cups pulverized cheese crackers
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Cups Milk (2% is fine)

Directions

One

Soak the thawed chicken tenders in a bowl covered with the milk for at least one hour. Can be soaked overnight or all day while you are at work.

The milk soaking or marinating process helps the meat to become more tender. If you are cooking a recipe with bone-in chicken, the milk soaking process will also pull blood away from the bone.

We want these chicken tenders to be ready to eat in under one hour. Therefore, I place mine in a bowl to soak earlier in the day and go on about my business. They are ready to go when I’m ready to cook. If you are just a wild woman, like we all can be sometimes, skip the milk marinade all together. -gasp!

cheese crackers crushed in a mini food grinder

Two

Pulverize the crackers in an electric food chopper.

I used what was in my cabinet which happened to be Cheez-It’. However you can use any cheesy crackers you may have on hand, including Gold Fish.

Chicken Tenderloins make the best Chicken Tenders in my humble opinion. They are more tender than using boneless breast cut into strips. I buy a 2.5 lb. bag of Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins from the meat department and keep them in my freezer to have on hand.

Three

Now pour the crushed cheese crackers into a gallon size resealable bag and add the seasonings. Close the bag and shake to blend.

Four

Drain the milk off the chicken tenders by pouring the tenders into a colander.

Five

Now place the chicken tenders into the cracker and seasonings mixture in the bag. Close and shake to coat. Then place the coated chicken tenders into the basket of your Air Fryer. Mine will hold about six chicken tenders at a time. Spritz each chicken tender with cooking spray lightly.

Chicken Tenders battered and ready to cook in the basket of an Air Fryer

Six

Set the Air Fryer temperature to 400° and set the timer for 12 minutes. Check the tenders at the end of the first 12 minutes, turn over the tenders using tongs and spritz the other side with cooking spray. Then continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, checking every 3 minutes until done.

NOTE

Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°

Serve your Air Fryer Cheesy Chicken Tenders with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Some Air Fryers require preheating. My Gourmia does not. I fill the basket with about six battered chicken tenders and set the temperature to 400 and the timer to 12 minutes. After the first 12 minutes I turn the chicken tenders over and continue to cook for another 10 minutes before checking again.

Internal temperature should reach 165° for chicken.

Cheesy Crust Chicken Tenders served on a platter with ranch dressing in the center

Chicken Tenders are a great snack in the summer when the kids are home from school or a nice Saturday lunch anytime. Make a big batch and take them to a potluck dinner.

You don’t have an Air Fryer? No problem, also see our recipe for Cheez-It Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders

Side Dishes for Chicken Tenders

creamy sweet coleslaw — Homemade Creamy Cole Slaw

Chili Cheese Tater Tots in a casserole dish — Homemade Creamy Cole Slaw

Air Fryer Cheesy Chicken Tenders are covered in a cheese cracker crust. Under 30 minutes cook time these Chicken Tenders are perfect for weeknight meals, snacks or party food. #Airfryer #chickenrecipe #partyfood #snackfood

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