- American
- Dinner
- Main
- Dairy-Free
- High-Protein
- Weeknight
- Air-Fryer
- Kid-Friendly
Pickle-Brined Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
These Pickle-Brined Air Fryer Chicken Tenders are crisp, juicy, and packed with flavor thanks to an overnight soak in dill pickle juice. The brine seasons the chicken all the way through while helping the tenders stay moist in the air fryer. A simple egg coating and seasoned breadcrumb crust give them that golden, crunchy chicken-tender texture without deep frying. They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner, kid-friendly, and great with fries, slaw, ranch, honey mustard, or extra pickles on the side.
- Prep
- 8¼ hr
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 8 hr 27 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Instructions
Brine the chicken
Place the chicken tenders in a shallow bowl or container. Pour in enough dill pickle juice to fully cover the chicken, adding a little more if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
Dry the chicken
Drain the chicken and discard the pickle brine. Pat the tenders very dry with paper towels so the breading sticks well.
Prepare the breading station
In a medium bowl, beat together the whole egg, egg white, kosher salt, and black pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the seasoned breadcrumbs and seasoned panko.
Bread the tenders
Working one piece at a time, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture and press gently so the crumbs adhere on all sides. Place the breaded chicken on a work surface and spray both sides generously with olive oil spray.
Preheat the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Air fry the chicken
Working in batches if needed, arrange the chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through, crisp, and golden.
Serve
Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
Recipe by
Russell Toris
@russell-toris