Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders are one of my all-time favorite meals. They’re perfectly lightly breaded with a sweet and spicy buffalo sauce that pairs well with ranch for dipping, on sandwiches, in salads or straight out of the fridge for a quick and easy protein packed snack.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 221kcal
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. chicken breast tenders raw
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1 egg
Buffalo Sauce
- 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 1/4 cup lite pancake syrup
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep your chicken by removing the tendon. You can do this by placing a fork between the tendon tip and putting the tendon up with a paper towel. The fork will slide down the tender and the tendon will come out. Discard the tendon.
- Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Tapioca flour on a separate plate and one whisked egg in a shallow bowl.
- Using a fork or your hands coat the chicken in tapioca flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs and transfer to a plate or directly into the air fryer basket.
- Repeat the steps for all the chicken.
- Add the chicken to the air fryer basket. Be sure not to overlap the tenders. Work in batches if you cannot fit all the tenders in the air fryer.
- Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray. Air fry at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. Flip. Spray the other side with cooking spray. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- While the chicken is in the air fryer prep your buffalo sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small sauce pan over medium. Bring to a low boil and simmer while the chicken cooks. Stir often so the sides do not burn.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and transfer to a bowl for mixing.Top the chicken with the buffalo sauce. Be careful mixing the chicken with the sauce so the breading does not come off in the bowl.
- Place the coated chicken on a plate. Pour any remaining sauce over top or in a small bowl for dipping.Sprinkle finely chopped green onions on top if desired and serve with your favorite ranch for dipping.
- If tracking, be sure to weigh your final cooked buffalo chicken and divide by 4. This is the easiest way to have accurate serving sizes.
Notes
- Removing the tendon makes the chicken juicy and tender and is highly recommended.
- You may have to cook in two batches, depending on your air fryer. You don't want them to touch in the basket. This ensures an even and crispy cook.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 961mg | Fiber: 0.3g
