Chicken Tenderloins Air Fryer Cooking Time
Air fryer chicken tenderloins: 8–10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Plain tenderloins, single layer.
Flip at 5 minutes.
Poultry needs 165°F throughout. These are thin enough that 30 seconds too long is noticeable.
How to cook Chicken Tenderloins in an air fryer
- Tenderloins are thinner than breaded tenders and cook faster — start checking at 8 minutes.
- Remove the white tendon if it is still attached; it stays chewy however long you cook it.
- Unbreaded tenderloins dry out quickly. Pull them the moment they hit 165°F.
Cooking Chicken Tenderloins from frozen
From frozen, cook for 12–15 minutes at 400°F. Cook frozen at 380°F so the outside does not dry out.
Common questions
How long do you air fry Chicken Tenderloins?
Chicken Tenderloins takes 8–10 minutes at 400°F (200°C) in an air fryer. Flip at 5 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
What is the difference between chicken tenders and tenderloins?
A tenderloin is the small muscle under the breast. "Tenders" usually means breaded strips, which may be cut from breast rather than the tenderloin itself. Breaded tenders take slightly longer.
Converting your own recipe
If you have an oven recipe for Chicken Tenderloins and want to work it out yourself, the rule is to drop the temperature by 25°F and cut the time by 20%. The oven to air fryer converter does it for you.