Air Fryer Quinoa Crusted Chicken Tenders
Juicy chicken strips wrapped in a crisp, nutty crust of cooked quinoa, panko, Parmesan, and smoky paprika, then air fried until deeply golden with no deep fryer. Served with a quick honey-mustard yogurt dip.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 3 min
- Total
- 58 min
- Makes
- About 16 tenders (4 per serving)
Steps
Before you start
- Make sure your 1 cup of cooked quinoa is fully cooled and fluffy. If you are cooking it fresh, use about 1/3 cup (60 g) dry quinoa and cool it spread on a plate for at least 20 minutes.
- This recipe is cooked in 2 batches in a 5- to 6-quart (4.7- to 5.7-liter) air fryer basket. Tenders must sit in a single layer without touching.
- Use a clean, dry work surface and wash your hands after handling raw chicken. Set up the breading station with one 'wet' hand and one 'dry' hand to keep your fingers from clumping.
- Have an instant-read thermometer ready. The tenders are done at 165°F (74°C).
Cut and season chicken
- Trim any fat from the chicken breasts.
- Holding the knife at a slight angle, slice each breast against the grain into strips about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and 4 inches (10 cm) long, so you end up with about 16 strips of similar size.
- Pat both sides very dry with paper towels, set on a plate, and sprinkle evenly with ¾ tsp salt.
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Ready when: Strips are even in thickness and the surface feels dry, not slippery.
Tip: Uniform thickness is what makes all the tenders finish at the same time. Cut any very thick strips in half lengthwise.
Mix the quinoa crust
- In a shallow dish, combine the cooled quinoa, panko, Parmesan, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper.
- Toss with a fork, breaking up any quinoa clumps, until the mixture looks evenly speckled and orange-red from the paprika.
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Ready when: Mixture is loose and dry with no wet clumps.
Tip: If your quinoa feels damp, spread it on a plate and blot with a paper towel first. Wet quinoa makes a soggy crust.
Set up breading station
- Place the flour in a second shallow dish.
- In a third dish, whisk the eggs, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp water until smooth and fully combined.
- Arrange the dishes in a line: chicken, flour, egg mixture, quinoa crust, then a clean plate or tray at the end for breaded tenders.
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Ready when: Egg mixture is uniformly yellow with no visible strands of egg white.
Bread the tenders
- Working one strip at a time, dredge in flour and shake off the excess, dip into the egg mixture and let the extra drip off for a few seconds, then lay in the quinoa crust.
- Spoon crust over the top and press down firmly with your palm so a thick layer sticks on all sides, including the edges.
- Place on the tray.
- Repeat with all strips.
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Ready when: Each strip is fully and thickly coated with no bare patches of chicken showing.
Tip: Use one hand for the wet steps and the other for the dry steps to avoid gummy 'club hands'.
Stir the dip
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, honey, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Taste and add a little more honey if you want it sweeter.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Dip is smooth, pale golden, and pourable from the spoon.
Preheat the air fryerOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
- Spray the basket lightly with oil.
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Ready when: Air fryer shows 400°F (200°C) or the preheat cycle finishes.
Tip: Do not skip preheating. A hot basket sets the crust so it does not stick.
Air fry first batchOven 400°F / 205°C
- Arrange 8 tenders in a single layer in the basket with a little space between each.
- Spray the tops generously with oil until the crust looks lightly wet.
- Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
- Flip each tender with tongs, spray the new tops, and cook 5 to 6 minutes more.
- Check that the thickest tender reads 165°F (74°C) in the center.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden brown and crisp, and the thickest tender reads 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Spray every dry-looking patch of crust. Any unsprayed quinoa will stay pale and can scorch rather than crisp.
Rest and keep warm
- Transfer the first batch to a wire rack set over a tray (a rack keeps the bottoms crisp).
- Do not cover, since steam softens the crust.
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Ready when: Tenders sit in a single layer, not stacked.
Tip: If you need to hold them for longer than 10 minutes, keep them on the rack in a 200°F (95°C) oven.
Air fry second batchOven 400°F / 205°C
- Spray the basket again if it looks dry, load the remaining 8 tenders in a single layer, spray the tops, and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
- Flip, spray again, and cook 5 to 6 minutes more until the crust is deep golden and the center reads 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden and crisp, and the thickest tender reads 165°F (74°C).
Rest and serve
- Let all the tenders rest on the rack for 3 minutes so the juices settle and the crust firms up.
- Serve hot with the honey-mustard dip.
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Ready when: Crust feels crisp and holds together when lifted.
Good to know
Tips
- Pat the chicken completely dry before flouring. Moisture on the surface is the main reason breading slides off.
- Press the crust on firmly. Quinoa has no gluten or starch to cling with, so the panko and a firm press help hold it in place.
- Do not crowd the basket. Tenders that touch steam rather than crisp, so cook in two batches.
- Always flip and re-spray halfway, since the air fryer's heat comes mostly from above and the underside needs oil to brown.
Make ahead
"Bread the tenders up to 4 hours ahead, arrange them in a single layer on a tray, and refrigerate uncovered. Mix the dip up to 2 days ahead. For freezer prep, freeze the breaded raw tenders on a tray until solid, then bag them for up to 2 months and air fry from frozen at 380°F (190°C) for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping halfway, until 165°F (74°C)."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store cooked tenders in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze cooked tenders for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 4 to 6 minutes (8 to 10 minutes from frozen), flipping once, until hot at 165°F (74°C) and crisp. Do not microwave if you want to keep the crust crisp.
Substitutions
- panko breadcrumbs → Crushed gluten-free cornflakes or gluten-free panko. Also swap the flour for rice flour or cornstarch for a gluten-free version.
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts → Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cut into similar strips. They stay juicier but may need 1 to 2 extra minutes. Still cook to 165°F (74°C).
- Parmesan cheese → Nutritional yeast. Use the same amount for a dairy-free crust, and swap the Greek yogurt for a dairy-free plain yogurt.
- smoked paprika (or sweet paprika) → Sweet paprika plus ¼ tsp cayenne. Use if you do not have smoked paprika and want a bit of heat.