Mix by hand until each tender is evenly coated with the seasoning.
Air Fryer Cooking
Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for 3 minutes.
Arrange the tenders in the basket in a single flat layer, without overlapping.
Cook for 10 minutes at 200 °C.
Flip the tenders halfway through cooking, after 5 minutes.
Check that the center is no longer pink and that the internal temperature reaches 75 °C; add 1 to 2 more minutes for thick tenders, without exceeding 12 minutes total.
Finishing
Let the tenders rest for 1 minute outside the basket.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Never cook them longer than 12 minutes: chicken tenders go from juicy to dry very quickly.
Pat the chicken dry well before adding the oil: surface moisture turns to steam and prevents browning.
Preheat for 3 minutes at 200 °C: with such a short cooking time, a cold basket wastes a big part of the effective cooking time.
Flip halfway through cooking (5 minutes): because the heat comes from above, the underside will stay pale if you do not turn them.
Cook in a single layer, without overlap; if making more than 500–600 g, cook in two batches.
A reliable cue: 75 °C in the center of the thickest piece; otherwise, the meat should be white with no pink areas.
Season just before cooking: salting too early draws out moisture and can make the texture slightly stringy.
For extra tenderness: marinate in plain yogurt with paprika, garlic, and cumin, without changing the cooking time.
You can cook them from frozen: 14–16 min (plain) or 12–14 min (breaded), flipping halfway through; season after cooking if the spices do not stick well.
Let them rest for just 1 minute: this redistributes the juices without cooling the chicken.
Leftovers: store in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat in the air fryer rather than the microwave; cold, the strips are perfect in salads or wraps.