Crispy Spicy Cajun Chicken Tenders

Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

Jay Gleaton

Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

These are a great way to make some crispy chicken tenders without using the deep fryer. These will be a little more healthy and still crunchy and delicious. We use our amazing Cayenne Cajun Blackening spice rub so these will be full of flavor. Throw them on a sandwhich or serve them along side some french fries for a basket meal. You can use cut up chicken breast or actual tenders like what I got for this recipe.

Equipment for this recipe includes an oil sprayer. This is my favorite one.

Ingredients

1 lb. Chicken Tenders
1 tbsp Cajun Cayenne Blackening Seasoning
½ cup All Purpose Flour
1 egg
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
2 tbsp Water
2 tbsp Olive Oil (in spray bottle)

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Directions

Set your tenders out on some paper towels and pat dry.
Season dry tenders with a coating of Cajun Cayenne Blackening Seasoning. An even layer works best and give the tenders a minute to rest after seasoning before the next step so the spices can really set on the chicken.
Set up your battering station. It’s not as bad as it sounds but a few plates or shallow bowls will do the trick. You want a spot for four, one for egg wash and one for the bread crumbs,
Pour maybe a cup of flour onto a tray or shallow bowl, Break egg into a bowl, add a bit of water maybe a tablespoon and whisk with a fork to combine. Set out a tray with the panko bread crumbs as well.
Sprinkle a generous amount of Cayenne Cajun Blackening seasoning on both sides of the chicken and then move on to the next step.
Dredge in flour and set aside on a rack until you have done all of them. This gives them a minute for the flour to set and will help keep them from losing their crust. Next, dip your tenders into the egg wash to coat completely and let the excess drip off before dredging again in the seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
Set back on the rack and repeat for all remaining tenders. Give the tenders a quick spritz of oil from an oil sprayer before they cook to make them extra crispy. Not deep fried but we need SOME oil.
Start up your air fryer or convection oven (same thing) and set to 400 degrees at 14 minutes. Flip the tenders at 7 minutes and make sure they are not burning, if they are getting too dark you can lower the temp. Every cooking device is unique so an eyeball half way through always helps. Check once the cooking cycle is complete with a quick read thermometer to make sure they have reached 165 degrees and it’s time to eat! Just add some time and check every minute if they are not quite there.