Skip the flour and panko and make these healthy air fryer chicken tenders with your instant pot air fryer lid at home.
This instant pot air fryer lid chicken tenders recipe is golden and lightly crispy but perfectly juicy inside in just a few minutes, and no doubt be a hit in your household.
Not only are these air fryer chicken tenders no breading healthier, but you don’t have a mess to clean up.
The inner pot of your instant pot pressure cooker is going to hold all the little crumbs left with minimal cleaning from your side. For this reason, I love to use my instant pot air fryer lid to make chicken tenders and many delicious recipes like this air fryer salmon.
These air fryer chicken tenders are perfect for serving with a side of veggies and other options you will find down this post. Still, they are perfect for game day appetizers.
This chicken tenders recipe I used to make them all the time in the oven, but since I got my first air fryer couple years ago, I was making them in there instead.
But, since I go the new air fryer lid for the instant pot, I’ve been making them with the air fryer lid.
What are chicken tenders
Chicken tenders are white meat that comes from the pectoralis minor muscle of the chicken breast, and every chicken has two tenders. So these little strips of meat are attached to the underside of each breast.
How to season chicken tenders?
For this recipe, you will need to combine all the ingredients in a bowl and roll the chicken tender until well coated with the mix.
How to make chicken tenders without flour with the instant pot air fryer lid?
It is effortless and yummy to make chicken tenders without flour.
For this air fryer lid recipe, you are substituting the flour or bread crumbs with grated parmesan cheese to add a fantastic flavor to the dish and some crispiness as well.
STEP 1. In a small bowl combine the parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, mustard and Italian seasoning, set aside
STEP 2. Season chicken tenders with salt and black pepper to taste, roll the chicken tenders into the mix until well coated.
STEP 3. Place the chicken tender inside of the air fryer basket, put the basket into the inner pot, place the air fryer lid on top. Set the temperature Air fry to 385F for 12 minutes.
(Make sure the instant pot pressure cooker isn’t plug in ).
STEP 4. The instant pot air fryer lid will pause in the middle of the cooking time and tell you when it is time to flip your chicken tenders, flip the chicken tenders, and place the lid back on.
(If you don’t open the lid, it will resume cooking on its own.)
Once the time is done, open your instant pot air fryer lid, remove the chicken tenders and repeat with the remaining
Serve to your liking.
What goes well with chicken tenders
You can serve this with your favorite dipping sauce if you are planning to eat it as an appetizer.
But if you want to eat it like a food meal, these options are fantastic to go with this recipe.
- Green salad
- Pasta salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted carrots
- Roasted cauliflower or broccoli
How long to cook chicken tenders in the air fryer lid
The ideal time to make this recipe is 12 minutes. But If you want to try higher temperature then you need to decrease the cooking time
If you have some leftover and want to reheat them:
I recommend doing so in the air fryer for 2- minutes.
D
Other air fryer lid recipes
AIR FRYER TURKEY TENDERLOIN SKEWERS
More instant pot air fryer lid recipe
Please, if you make this air fryer recipe with your new instant pot air fryer lid. I'd love to know it, leave a comment below and rate this recipe.
Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid Chicken Tenders
These chicken tenders in the instant pot air fryer lid are golden and lightly crispy but perfectly juicy inside in just a few minutes, and no doubt be a hit in your household
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken tenders
- Salt and black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard (optional)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, mustard and Italian seasoning, set aside
- Season chicken tenders with salt and black pepper to taste, roll the chicken tenders into the mix until well coated.
- Place the chicken tender inside of the air fryer basket, put the basket into the inner pot, place the air fryer lid on top. Set the temperature Air fry to 385F for 12 minutes.
(Make sure the instant pot pressure cooker isn’t plug in). - The instant pot air fryer lid will pause in the middle of the cooking time and tell you when it is time to flip your chicken tenders, flip the chicken tenders, and place the lid back on.
(If you don’t open the lid, it will resume cooking on its own.) - Once the time is done, open your instant pot air fryer lid, remove the chicken tenders and repeat with the remaining tenders.
Serve to your liking. Some option are on this post.
Notes
- If you want the chicken tenders crispier, cook for extra 5 minutes on 400F air fry, but be aware the tenders could be on the dry side.
- You can omit the grated cheese and cook the chicken tenders with just the seasoning.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 242mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 0gProtein: 23g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used. The amount of salt you use is not calculated in this recipe.
Liz
Do you use fresh grated Parmesan cheese or the one in jar/container? Does Air Fryer Lid come with air fryer basket?
Veronica
Hi Liz! I use the one in a container. Yes, it comes with the basket, sometimes I use the pressure cooker trivet if I'm making something bigger.
Diane Steinbruegge
Would this recipe also work with chicken breast? If so, how long should I cook them?
Veronica
You can make this recipe with chicken breast, depending on the size of your chicken breast. I do 20 minutes at 400F
L B
I made chicken tenders with my instant pot air fryer lid. I cooked 15 minutes at 400°and used the broil tray as a second level. I had tenders in the bottom of the basket and on the tray. They were cooked perfectly although I could have increased the cook time to get a bit more crisp. I'll definitely do it again! Thank you for your suggestion
Veronica
Hi LB! Thank you for giving this recipe a try. When I use trail, I give a couple more minutes to those in the button to get a very nice crispy.
Dale Whitcomb
I don't have an air fryer but thinking the seasonings sound good. Any thoughts on either baking them or cooking them on the stove in a little oil? Think I would need to dip the chicken in egg first? What temperature in the over?
Veronica
Hi Dale,
Before air fryer was a thing, I used to make them in the oven 350 F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Brush olive oil on the sheet pan, then place the chicken tenders. And bake in a preheated oven.
Enjoy!
Veronica
Barbara Adamich
Perfect! My first recipe using the air fryer lid, and it came out tender, moist on the inside and super crispy on the outside! Thank you!
Veronica
Thank you Barbara! So happy you tried and liked this recipe.
Julia
I used fresh grated cheese and all the seasonings. Cooked exactly as recipe stated. Delicious and super easy. This was my first time using an air fryer and they turned out perfect. I dipped in Blue cheese dressing. Thank you!
Veronica
So happy you tried your new air fryer with this recipe. Love the idea of freshly grated cheese.
Vero
Kaitlyn
Can you stack chicken strips on top of one another? Or do you need all sides exposed? And just confirming that no oil is needed? Thanks! Excited to try it!
Veronica
Hi Kaitlyn,
No oil is needed. Arrange them in a single layer for even cooking; otherwise, some parts will be overcooked and others undercooked.
Vero
Pete
I am alergic to cheese of any kind (Never eaten a pizza or had a cheese burger! :)) can I just use breadcrumbs instead of cheese or should I use Panko?
Veronica
Hi Pete!
Yes, you can use breadcrumbs or vegan grated parmesan cheese if you want the cheesy flavor.
Mair
I know that you said that these tenders have to be cooked in a single layer but would I be able to cook them in one pan stacked on another? If the tenders have to be kept warm in the oven whilst the second batch cooks it seems as though it defeats the object of doing them in the instant pot air fryer.
Veronica
Hi Mair,
If you want to use the dehydrator tray to stack them, sure you can. The cooking time will be different, and the tenders won't cook evently if you stack them together.
Diana
Hi - if I wanted to make these from frozen, what cooking time and temp would you suggest?
Veronica
I'll keep the same temperature and go with an instant meat thermometer until they reach 165º F.
Diana
Hi! If I wanted to air fry these from frozen what temp. and time should I use?
Veronica
Hi Dianna,
I haven't tried this recipe with frozen chicken. But if you give it a try let me know how it goes.
Vero
Sheila
Hi There,
Going to try my Instant Pot Duo with Air Fryer lid tonight for the first time with the Crispy Chicken Tenders. I've look at other recipes, but like yours the best so far.
Just one question, I want to be sure, you do not need to spray tenders or basket with any oil before cooking.
Thanks so much - excited to try it tonight!
Sheila
Veronica
How exciting!
I don't use oil with this recipe. Keep in mind they aren't crispy crunchy.
Vero