Forget fast food! Make better chicken at home with these air-fried Crunchy Chicken Tenders w/ Cajun Ranch. Crispy, crunchy, and slightly spicy, these tenders are perfectly served with some creamy and quick Cajun-spiced ranch dressing!
Did you know that chicken tenders are one of the most popular fast foods? Almost every single restaurant has them, but rarely are they gluten-free! Usually, we GF folks have to make fast food work for us by making it homemade.
Bust out the air fryer for these juicy Crunchy Chicken Tenders w/ Cajun Ranch! Breaded, gluten-free chicken is tossed in the air fryer until very crispy before serving with some spicy ranch dressing that is seasoned with Cajun seasoning. These tenders rival any others that you’ve had. They’re great for kids or adults!
The Best Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
You can find gluten-free breadcrumbs in the grocery store completely prepared. Hey, you can even buy GF panko breadcrumbs! However, I have found that blending up my favorite crackers creates the best coating for any breaded dish.
Growing up, my mom would use ground saltines for all fried chicken and the like. This sparked an idea. Schar’s Entertainment Crackers are the best GF crackers for any purpose, so I decided to blend them up and use them like breadcrumbs. I have never looked back! Don’t buy GF breadcrumbs, make your own with your favorite crackers!
Ingredients in Crunchy Chicken Tenders w/ Cajun Ranch
- 1 lb. raw chicken tenders
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk or plant milk
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free cracker crumbs, I like to blitz Schar’s Entertainment Crackers
- a tsp of garlic powder
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Olive oil spray
- ½ cup prepared ranch dressing
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
How to Make Crunchy Chicken Tenders w/ Cajun Ranch
Begin by preheating your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Pat your chicken tenders dry with some clean paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
Crack your eggs into a shallow bowl and whisk with the milk. Set aside.
In another shallow bowl, add the cracker crumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well until the spices are evenly dispersed in the crumbs.
Dip each chicken tender in the cracker crumbs, then the egg, then the cracker crumbs again. Place the breaded tenders on a plate and repeat until all the chicken is coated.
When the air fryer is preheated, add your tenders in one layer with a bit of space in between. Spray them lightly with some olive oil cooking spray. If you have more tenders after one layer, cook them in two batches. Do not layer the breaded tenders on top of each other.
Cook for 8 minutes, then flip your chicken. Continue cooking for another 6-8 minutes until completely cooked through and crispy.
Meanwhile, add your ranch to a small bowl. Mix in the Cajun seasoning. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like your ranch.
Once the tenders are cooked, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot with the Cajun ranch.
*If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make these in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 10-12 minutes per side until crisp and cooked through.
Crunchy Chicken Tenders w/ Cajun Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 lb. raw chicken tenders
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk or plant milk
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free cracker crumbs, I like to blitz Schar's Entertainment Crackers
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Pat your chicken tenders dry with some clean paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Crack your eggs into a shallow bowl and whisk with the milk. Set aside.
- In another shallow bowl, add the cracker crumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well until the spices are evenly dispersed in the crumbs.
- Dip each chicken tender in the cracker crumbs, then the egg, then the cracker crumbs again. Place the breaded tenders on a plate and repeat until all the chicken is coated.
- When the air fryer is preheated, add your tenders in one layer with a bit of space in between. Spray them lightly with some olive oil cooking spray. If you have more tenders after one layer, cook them in two batches. Do not layer the breaded tenders on top of each other.
- Cook for 8 minutes, then flip your chicken. Continue cooking for another 6-8 minutes until completely cooked through and crispy.
- Meanwhile, add your ranch to a small bowl. Mix in the Cajun seasoning. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like your ranch.
- Once the tenders are cooked, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve hot with the Cajun ranch.
