Air Fryer Arkansas Chicken–air fried chicken tenderloins in a paprika seasoning mixture. You’ll be surprised at how juicy and tender they are! The tenders taste great dipped in barbecue sauce or ranch dressing.
Air Fryer Arkansas Chicken
Today’s dinner idea is a fun and easy chicken tenderloin recipe. My son and I scarfed these down and no one else in the family got any 😬! Oopsie. I got the idea for this recipe from food.com that started out as a deep fried recipe. I am not a fan of deep fried stuff because it always hurts my tummy so this air fried version was perfect for me. If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake in the oven (see the notes section).
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken tenderloins–or you can cut up chicken breasts into slices
- Egg
- Paprika–sweet or regular paprika. Smoked paprika would be way too strong.
- Cornstarch
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Milk
Steps
In a bowl add the egg, paprika, cornstarch, salt, pepper and milk.
Whisk until combined. Add in the chicken tenderloins and let them sit in the mixture for about 20 minutes (flip over about halfway through).
Lay the chicken tenderloins in air fryer basket in one layer (you may have to work in batches).
Air fry at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and air fry for 4 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with any dipping sauce you love. These chicken tenders go great with any type of potatoes (mashed, baked, tots, fries, etc.).
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- I used my Instant Vortex Air Fryer*. I did 2 batches of 4 tenders.
- If you don’t have an air fryer you can also bake these in the oven. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature of largest tender is 165°F.
- Don’t use frozen tenders for this recipe. The chicken needs to be thawed out to cook properly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with paprika are Instant Pot Chicken Paprika and Instant Pot Creamy Paprika Pork Tenderloin.
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try…
Air Fryer Poor Man’s Steak
A hearty stuffed hamburger patty with cheese, bacon and pickled jalapenos cooked in your air fryer for ultimate convenience!
Air Fryer Weeknight Meatballs
Use your air fryer or Instant Pot air fryer lid to make these super fast and easy meatballs!
Air Fryer Almost Chick Fil-A Chicken
Homemade chicken nuggets made in your air fryer. They are juicy and tender and really simple to make! They taste just as good as the restaurant.
Air Fryer Appalachian Mountain Chicken
An air fryer take on fried chicken…it’s crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It’s everything you want in your fried chicken with way less fat and calories.
Air Fryer Toad in the Hole
A cooked egg embedded in toast and topped with a bit of cheddar cheese. An easy and delicious breakfast with very little cleanup.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Arkansas Chicken
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Air fried chicken tenderloins in a paprika seasoning mixture. You’ll be surprised at how juicy and tender they are! The tenders taste great dipped in barbecue sauce or ranch dressing.
Ingredients
- 8–10 chicken tenderloins
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In a bowl add the egg, paprika, cornstarch, salt, pepper and milk. Whisk until combined. Add in the chicken tenderloins and let them sit in the mixture for about 20 minutes (flip over about halfway through).
- Lay the chicken tenderloins in air fryer basket in one layer (you may have to work in batches). Air fry at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and air fry for 4 more minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Air Fryer
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi I would love to make this recipe but I don’t have an air fryer.. Could you make this recipe in the oven? If so what temperature and how long would you cook it for? Thank you!!
Yes you can bake it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350
I don’t have an air fryer but i was wondering if i could do these in my Instant Pot with my Mealthy Lid?
Yes I believe that would work!
Karen, I’m beyond thrilled that you’re posting air fryer recipes! And if you have been for a while, where the heck have I been?!? 😳
Haha! I have a few on my site. I am glad you are happy about them. I do love my air fryer.