Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders
These air fryer lemon pepper chicken tenders bring a lemony flavor, crispy coating, and a luscious and dreamy lemon butter sauce for a crowd-pleasing chicken tender.
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Servings: 6 chicken tenders
Calories: 228kcal
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning (see Note 1)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more)
- ½ cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups panko
- Avocado oil spray (or olive oil spray)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (minced)
Lemon-butter sauce:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sriracha (or hot sauce of choice, more or less to taste)
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested; 2 ounces of juice total and 1 teaspoon of zest total)
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Pat the chicken tenderloins dry and season them with 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Set up your dredging station:
- Set out three shallow dishes. To the first dish, add flour and a pinch of kosher salt. To the second dish, add 2 eggs and whisk until smooth. Add panko with a pinch of salt and pepper to the third dish.
Dredge the chicken:
- Dip a chicken tenderloin into the flour and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg mixture and shake off the excess. Finish dredging the chicken by rolling it gently in the panko; gently press it into the tender to ensure it adheres. Transfer to a lightly greased baking rack. Continue until all tenders are dredged.
Air fry the chicken tenders:
- Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil. Spray the tops of the chicken tenders lightly with oil. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- Place the tenders in the basket and air fry in batches for 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and air fry for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Once the tenders reach 165ºF, transfer them to a second baking rack. The tenders will air fry for about 10 to 14 minutes total. Continue air frying until all the chicken is cooked.
Prepare the sauce:
- Place the butter in a glass measuring cup and transfer to the microwave for 1 minute until completely melted.
- Add 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons sriracha, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning. Whisk until smooth.
- Taste and adjust the flavorings to your preference. The sauce should be a drizzling consistency. If it’s very thick, add a splash of water to thin it out. Set aside.
Sauce the tenders:
- Once all the chicken tenders are air-fried, pour the warm sauce into a large bowl.
- Add the chicken tenders to the bowl in batches and toss gently to coat in the sauce.
To serve:
- Transfer the sauced tenders to a serving platter and sprinkle with minced parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: I used McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Lemon & Pepper Seasoning. You can use your favorite brand of lemon pepper seasoning for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 441mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 15mg
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