Slice chicken into strips
If you’re going to bake your chicken tenders, go ahead and preheat your oven to 425. If you’re going to air fry them, feel free to save the preheating until 3 minutes before cooking. In a shallow dish, combine mayonnaise and eggs. In another shallow dish, mix your almond flour, parmesan, and spices. You’ll also want to line a baking sheet with foil. Set these aside for now.
SLICE CHICKEN INTO STRIPS
First, start by slicing your chicken. If you’re starting with tenderloins, congratulations! You get to skip this step! If you’re working with chicken breasts of thighs, it’s important to cut each into a few thin strips, about the size of chicken tenderloins. Making sure they are all the same general size and thickness will help ensure even cooking.
BREAD CHICKEN TENDERS
Set up your assembly line–You’ll need your egg wash, your flour parmesan mixture, and your baking sheet. Designate one hand as the “wet” hand–It’ll handle the chicken when it’s coated in egg. Your other hand is the “dry” hand–It’s responsible for moving the chicken when it’s fully breaded. This helps keep your stations clean and the causes less waste.
Dip a chicken strip into the egg and mayonnaise mixture, making sure every little bit is covered. Let the excess egg drip back into the dish, then move the chicken to the flour mixture. Toss to coat, gently pressing it into the cheese and seasonings to make sure the coating will stick. Finally, the breaded chicken goes onto the lined baking pan. Continue on until all chicken is breaded.
BRUSH WITH BUTTER & COOK
Once chicken is breaded, melt butter and gently brush over the chicken tenders. If you’re baking these, move the full baking sheet into the oven and cook 15 minutes. Carefully turn the tenders over and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
If you’re air frying, cook in a single layer (not touching) at 390 degrees for about 8 minutes, flipping about halfway through. Allow cooked chicken to sit for a few minutes before serving.
How Long to Bake Chicken Tenders
If you choose to use the oven method the chicken tenders need to cook at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If you’re air frying these, you can expect these to cook about 8 minutes at 390 degrees (don’t forget to flip halfway through the cooking time).
One thing to note is that the cooking time will depend on how thick you cut your chicken.I prefer to make smaller, thinner tenders so they are perfectly crunchy. If you make thicker tenders you will need to increase the cooking time a few minutes.
How to Serve Chicken Tenders
They make a great dinner when paired with Crispy Green Bean Fries, Loaded Cauliflower Casserole, or my favorite Air Fryer Broccoli. If you like a chicken and biscuit sandwich, make a batch of these Keto Red Lobster Cheddar Garlic Biscuits for a super flavorful, low-carb option. Dip chicken tenders in some Jalapeno Ranch or Smoked Queso for even more flavor.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with aluminum foil.
In one shallow bowl combine the egg and mayonnaise, beat with a fork until it is completely combined. Set aside.
In another shallow bowl combine the Keto Breading ingredients. Dip each sliced chicken tender into the egg mixture, then dredge in the breading. Make sure the tenders are completely coated.
Once each tender is coated well, lay on the cooking sheet and brush with the melted butter.
Bake 15 minutes, turn the tenders carefully using tongs and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
