how to cook frozen chicken tenders in air fryer

Frozen chicken strips in the air fryer are super easy to make and so dippable!

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this classic finger food makes a great snack or a side to delicious crispy fries.

People typically use the terms chicken fingers, chicken tenders, and chicken strips somewhat interchangeably when describing this breaded chicken appetizer.

While there are some slight differences (e.g. different cuts of meat), they are not really relevant when making the frozen version in the air fryer.

crispy chicken strips on white plate with plum sauce behind — Air fryer frozen chicken strips – so crispy!

So whether you want to make frozen chicken strips or frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer, our temperature and time guidelines below will work for both!

Recipe Tips

Before you make air fryer frozen chicken strips, have a quick look at these recipe tips:

There is no need to thaw the chicken strips first. You also don't need to spray them with oil. Simply add them to the preheated air fryer from frozen.
Make sure to not overcrowd the air fryer. Otherwise, the chicken strips might not get as crispy.
Your exact cooking time might vary since some brands of chicken strips might be thicker cut. Your air fryer might also cook hotter or cooler than the one we use. As long as your chicken strips are crispy brown on the outside and heated through in the inside, you're good to go!
Be sure to clean your air fryer after cooking since even dry crumbs from the breading
can build up over time in the air fryer!

We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions

If you are interested in visual step-by-step instructions for air-fried chicken strips from frozen, check out the few process photos in this section.

Alternatively, you can skip below to the recipe card for all the details!

frozen chicken strips in black air fryer tray — Place the frozen chicken strips into the air fryer.

First, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the air fryer is preheated, add the frozen chicken strips in one even layer with space between them.

cooked chicken strips in black air fryer basket — The chicken strips should be crispy.

Cook the chicken strips for 6 minutes on one side. Then flip them over and cook for 6 more minutes.

These times are approximate and can vary depending on the air fryer and brand of chicken strips used.

crispy air fried chicken strips on white plate with plum sauce behind — Look at those frozen chicken strips from the air fryer – ready for dipping!

Once fully heated and crispy on the outside, remove the chicken strips from the air fryer. You can serve them with your preferred dipping sauce, e.g. plum sauce, or as a side with fries.

Storage Tips

Air fried chicken strips actually store well once they cool. Just be sure to place them in a sealed container in the fridge.

They will last for 1-2 days like this but eat them sooner rather than later as they tend to dry out a bit.

To reheat them, you can always toss them back in the air fryer or pop them in the microwave for a few seconds!

What to Serve Frozen Chicken Strips With

Chicken strips can be eaten on their own with dipping sauce or served as a side to some classic finger foods in the "fries" category.

We enjoy chicken strips with plum sauce but BBQ and sweet n' sour are also popular choices!

As for those fries to accompany the strips, you can keep it simple with frozen waffles fries, frozen curly fries, or frozen sweet potato fries.

But, you know, it's not difficult to make your own homemade fries or potato wedges!

Related Recipes

If you're interested in other chicken finger foods, have a look at these options:

Air Fried Frozen Popcorn Chicken
Air Fryer Frozen Nuggets
Chicken Fries In the Air Fryer (Frozen)

Ingredients

6 frozen chicken strips

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the air fryer is preheated, add the frozen chicken strips in one even layer with space between them.
Cook the chicken strips for 6 minutes on one side. Then flip them over and cook for 6 more minutes. These times are approximate and can vary depending on the air fryer and brand of chicken strips used.
Once fully heated and crispy on the outside, remove the chicken strips from the air fryer. You can serve them with your preferred dipping sauce, e.g. plum sauce, or as a side with fries.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 335 Total Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 13g Cholesterol: 51mg Sodium: 888mg Carbohydrates: 21g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 0g Protein: 21g

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice. The exact values can vary depending on the specific ingredients used.