Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

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Made with only a handful of ingredients, these air fryer buffalo chicken tenders come together easily for a quick weeknight dinner or appetizer. Chicken tenders coated in a spicy buffalo sauce and then coated in a crispy panko coating, these chicken strips are absolutely irresistible.

You only need three ingredients (and oil spray!) to make these air fried buffalo chicken tenders. They literally come together in minutes and you'll have these crispy chicken tenders ready for dinner!

Overhead view of a plate of air fryer buffalo chicken tenders with carrots and celery along with a bowl of buffalo sauce.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You really only need three ingredients! It doesn't get much more simple than that.
The buffalo chicken strips are wonderfully crispy without having to be deep fried thanks to the air fryer!
Serve them as a meal or as an appetizer! It's quite a versatile dish. It's also great for parties.

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredients needed to make air fryer buffalo chicken tenders.

chicken tenderloins — I use chicken tenderloins but you can also slice chicken breasts into strips.
buffalo wing sauce — you can use store-bought buffalo wing sauce or homemade buffalo sauce.
panko breadcrumbs — I prefer panko over regular breadcrumbs, as they're more dry and flakier leading to a lighter and crunchier coating.

How To Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Set of two photos showing chicken tenders soaked in buffalo sauce and pressed into panko crumbs.

Using a paper towel, pat dry the chicken tenderloins. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and pour buffalo sauce over it. Toss well to combine.
Add the panko breadcrumbs to a shallow plate. Transfer each of the coated chicken to the panko one at a time and coat evenly.

Set of two photos showing before and after the chicken tenders are air fried.

Transfer the coated chicken to an air fryer basket and lightly spray with some oil.
Air fry the chicken tenders at 350F for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165F/74C.
Serve as is or with additional buffalo sauce on the side.

An air fryer buffalo chicken tender dipped into a bowl of buffalo sauce.

Recipes Variations

If you're worried about the panko crumb being too crumby, you can always add an egg. Whisk the egg and dip the buffalo sauce coated chicken tenders in it before dipping into the panko breadcrumb.
You can add more flavor to this by adding garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and more to the chicken tenderloins before coating them with buffalo sauce.

Tips and Notes

I love the light panko breading on these chicken tenderloins. They're lighter than a thick-coated batter, so they're not super heavy.
You can use chicken breasts and cut them into long strips instead of tenderloins. I usually buy the tenderloins for this, so it's easier for me to whip this air-fried buffalo chicken tenders on a busy weeknight.
You don't need a ton of oil to make these buffalo chicken strips crispy! Just a light coating will work with the air fryer to crisp these up delightfully!

An air fryer buffalo chicken tender cut in half, showing the interior.

How do I store leftover chicken tenders?

If you have leftovers, place the air fried buffalo chicken tenders in an airtight container once they've cooled. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you store them while they're still hot, they'll become soggy. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer until the chicken is hot.

Can I freeze these?

Once cooled, you can flash freeze the tenderloins on a lined sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can reheat them directly from frozen.

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