Air Fryer Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins tastes just like the real deal! Using an air fryer helps keep them super moist – and so good!
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Y’all are gonna love today’s recipe! My family gobbled this recipe up and asked when we could make it again!
These days I’m super 0bsessed with my air fryer. I love cooking all kinds of things in it. These chicken tenders are my current new favorite! This recipe is so simple and it comes together so quickly. Bonus, I think it tastes BETTER than the famous restaurant recipe!!
For this recipe, chicken tenderloins combine with Italian dressing, garlic, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Easy peasy – right? You can cook these immediately after placing them in the marinate, but I suggest letting them marinate for the full hour for optimal flavor.
What to serve with Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Potatoes are one of my favorite sides no matter the meal. One of my absolute favorite side dishes for these Air Fryer Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenderloins is my perfect mashed potatoes recipe or my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. If I feel like carrying out a whole Cracker Barrel theme, I usually go for my Hash Brown Casserole {aka Funeral Potatoes} recipe.
I usually go for some sort of green veggie on the side, too. Like buttered peas, a simple side salad, Southern-Style Green Beans, steamed broccoli, Southern Bacon-Fried Cabbage, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Almonds.
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Here are some other favorite sides: potato salad, macaroni salad, 7 layer salad, creamy pea salad, creamy mac & cheese, crispy herb roasted potatoes, or Mexican Bean Salad.
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders FAQs
Allow the chicken to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
OVEN: Place the tenders on a baking sheet and bake in a 375°F oven for 7-10 minutes or until heated through.
MICROWAVE: Place the tenders on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on 50% power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until heated through.
AIR FRYER: Preheat the air fryer from 350°F to 400°F, depending on your appliance. Place the tender in the air fryer and close. Cook for 4-7 minutes or until heated through.
Yes. Once the chicken is cooled, immediately transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before use.
Recipe Tips
- I know some people prefer to pull the weird little stringy thing out – I don’t bother. Once the chicken is cooked, I never even notice it. However, if you prefer, you certainly can remove it.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. Work in batches, if necessary.
- There are so many kinds of air fryers on the market with different functions and features. If you can’t set your appliance to the exact temperature, select the temperature to as close to the recipe as possible, adjusting the cooking time if necessary.
- Because this recipe uses lime juice, I suggest not marinating your chicken for longer than 1-2 hours at the most. Lime juice will chemically “cook” or denature your food if left too long.
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Air Fryer Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
Instructions
- Place the dressing, garlic, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper into a large bowl, whisk until combined. Add the chicken tenderloins and mix them in, so they are fully coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge for up to 1 hour to marinate.
- Once ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray the basket with olive oil spray and place the tenders, not touching each other into the basket. You may need to air fry in batches.
- Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Notes
- I know some people prefer to pull the weird little stringy thing out – I don’t bother. Once the chicken is cooked, I never even notice it. However, if you prefer, you certainly can remove it.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. Work in batches, if necessary.
- There are so many kinds of air fryers on the market with different functions and features. If you can’t set your appliance to the exact temperature, select the temperature to as close to the recipe as possible, adjusting the cooking time if necessary.
- Because this recipe uses lime juice, I suggest not marinating your chicken for longer than 1-2 hours at the most. Lime juice will chemically "cook" or denature your food if left too long.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Wow what a great chicken dinner. I prepared the chicken like the recipe says. What a taste.
Just about to cook this. However, when printing, the instructions page doesn’t show up. Just the ingredients/notes and then the nutrition info page.
I apologize for any trouble. There was a problem with the printable recipe card but it has been fixed.
They taste just like Cracker Barrel’s even better in my opinion! They are awesome! Will try it next time with breasts. So yummy!
This is my family’s favorite chicken! It is so good! I always cook up a bunch of it to have leftovers for the next day but my kids eat it all!
I made these last night. They were good but they didn’t brown. Not sure why. I did them at 400 actually for only 6 min. I had to put them in a pan to brown a little.