Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Make these air fryer buffalo chicken tenders once and you’ll never want to buy the frozen kind again. They’re so juicy and succulent and are great if you have friends coming over.

If you love chicken as much as I do, you might want to whip this fried chicken sandwich, a chicken and pepper skillet, or any of these easy recipes using rotisserie chicken.

Why You’ll Love It

Mouthwatering: These might well be the best buffalo chicken tenders you ever tried. They’re moist and succulent inside and super-crispy outside. And the blue cheese dressing is amazing as well.
Not hard to make: There are a fair few ingredients you’ll need but trust me, they’re not difficult to make (and they are well worth the effort!)
A real crowd-pleaser: Expecting company anytime soon? Why not transform some boneless skinless chicken breasts into these juicy chicken tenders? They’re one of the best appetizers ever!

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Strips Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below

Chicken tenderloin: I usually use chicken tenderloins but you can sub chicken breasts or chicken thighs if you prefer.
Breadcrumbs: For a crispy, crunchy coating. I like to use half panko breadcrumbs as well as regular breadcrumbs. You can also use all panko or all plain (or Italian seasoned).
Blue cheese: For the dressing. You can use any kind of blue cheese you want.
Hot sauce: I like Franks hot sauce but you can use sriracha or anything else you have.
Seasonings: Garlic and onion powder feature in the blue cheese dressing as well as the chicken tenders coating. Paprika is good in the hot sauce mixture.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card

Make the dressing: Make the blue cheese dressing recipe and refrigerate.
Flavor the chicken tenders: Mix the chicken, eggs, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and some salt and black pepper together.
Make the coating: Mix the panko and regular breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese, some onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Coat the chicken: Dip the tenderloins in the breadcrumb coating until fully coated.
Cook the chicken tenders: Arrange the tenderloins in a greased air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray, then cook for 6 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Make the spicy hot sauce: Stir the sauce ingredients together in a pan on the stove until the butter melts, then set aside.
Flip the chicken tenders: Flip and spray with oil and then cook for another 6 to 8 minutes on the other side or until golden brown and 165 degrees F in the middle.
The finishing touches: Toss the chicken tenders in the sauce and serve immediately.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs (I like these).
Oven baked version: Cook them for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven at 425 degrees F or until done.
Another dressing: Not a fan of blue cheese? You can serve these with ranch dressing instead if you prefer.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Pair these buffalo chicken tenders with crab cake egg rolls or chips with a red pepper cream cheese dip.
Side dishes: A green goddess salad would be great with homemade chicken tenders. This Hawaiian macaroni salad is great too.
Dessert: Finish the meal with bourbon peach ice cream.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Strips

Store: Keep leftover boneless buffalo chicken wings for up to 4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind the breading will lose its crunch once they’re thawed but they still taste good.
Freeze: The remaining chicken tenders won’t freeze so well because the breading gets soggy and the chicken might dry out a bit.
Reheat: You can microwave them or warm them up in the air fryer. The breading won’t be as crunchy once cooled and reheated however.