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4.34 from 3 votes

Freezer Friendly Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinate Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 258kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken tenderloins
  • 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (2 fl oz)

Egg Dredge

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour (7.5 grams)
  • 1 tbsp Frank's Red Hot sauce
  • 1 tbsp buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Panko Coating

  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (84 grams)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (0.5 fl oz)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot seasoning (5.4 grams)
  • Optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper for extra spice

Instructions

  • Marinate the chicken. Add chicken tenderloins and 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce to a resealable bag and rub the sauce into the chicken to ensure all pieces are coated. Marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Prepare the panko coating. In a medium sized bowl, add panko breadcrumbs and olive oil and toss to mix evenly. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, for about 3 minutes total. Once the breadcrumbs turn light golden brown, they're done. Mix in the Frank's Red Hot Seasoning and set aside to cool.
  • Prepare the egg wash. In another medium sized bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce. While whisking, gradually add flour, garlic powder, and Frank's Red Hot Seasoning. Set aside.
  • Dip the chicken. Remove the chicken tenderloins from the hot sauce to a plate. If they are still coated in an excessive amount of hot sauce, you can pat some off with a paper towl. First dip the chicken into the egg wash, allowing any excess to drip off, then dip it in the panko coating, gently pressing the coating onto the chicken. Remove to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack.
  • Freezer instructions (optional). Place the baking sheet with the chicken into the freezer. Once the chicken is completely frozen (about 2-3 hours), remove to a food safe resealable bag such as Stasher or Food Saver. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before returning to the freezer.
  • Air fry the chicken (from frozen). Pre-heat your air fryer to 360°. Add the chicken to the basket in a single layer (don't overcrowd - do a 2nd batch if you have to!). Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip and increase temperature to 380° degrees and air fry for another 6-8 minutes or until the coating is nicely browned and the chicken cooked through. (Note: if you cut the chicken into nugget size, they will take 3-4 minutes less time to cook from frozen than the tenders.)
    Air fry the chicken (from raw). Pre-heat your air fryer to 380°. Add the chicken to the basket in a single layer (don't overcrowd - do a 2nd batch if you have to!). Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip and air fry for another 4-5 minutes or until the coating is nicely browned and the chicken cooked through.

Notes

  • The nutrition info was calculated using the actual amount of panko breadcrumb mixture that was used (about 60 grams of panko and 2 tsp of oil). You want to prepare the full amount (85 grams panko and 1 tbsp of oil) to make coating the chicken tenders easier.
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Nutrition

Serving: 2tenders | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 1134mg | Potassium: 37mg