These Nashville style hot chicken tenders are so easy to make in the air fryer! These tenders are so wonderfully crispy and juicy, they rival any you've had in a restaurant! Ready to serve in less than half an hour.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
Whenever I see Nashville hot chicken on a menu I've just got to have it! Super crispy and smothered in a spicy hot sauce, I just can't get enough of them!
It's so quick and fuss free to make these tenders in an air fryer, they are quickly becoming my new favorite thing!
If you love these, be sure to check out my air fryer chicken wings!
How To Make Nashville Style Hot Chicken Tenders
Gather your ingredients
Season tenders with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.
Create a dredging station by whisking milk and hot sauce in one bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix panko bread crumbs, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Start by coating chicken tenders with milk mixture and drain off excess milk, then coat chicken in panko bread crumbs mixture, ensuring all of the chicken is coated.
Place chicken in greased air fryer basket or use a parchment sheet liner.
Cook on 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes, flipping and spraying with oil halfway through cooking, until chicken is fully cooked and has reached a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gather your ingredients to make the Nashville hot sauce.
Add the hot sauce ingredients to a pan, whisk to combine and bring to the boil.
Once your mixture starts to bubble and simmer, remove from heat.
Once chicken tenders are done, remove from air fryer and add them to a large bowl.
Pour the hot paste over the chicken and toss to combine, making sure hot sauce covers all of the chicken.
And done 🙂
Can you use chicken breast in this recipe?
I like to use tenders for this recipe, they are so...well, tender, and they cook so well in the air fryer. If you can't find tenders, you can use breasts and cut them into strips.
How hot is the chicken?
On a scale of mild to hot, these chicken tenders are very hot! There's a lot of cayenne in the sauce and they really do pack a punch. If you prefer milder chicken, you can reduce the amount of cayenne used, or even omit it completely. It will still be delicious!
What do you serve with Nashville hot chicken?
I live to serve this hot chicken as a sandwich. Piled into white bread with pickles and you are in a good place! If you like, you can add in some coleslaw that helps to balance out the heat.
You can serve this as a main and serve it alongside some other Southern favorites like mac n cheese and collard greens.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Be sure to pre heat your air fryer before you add your chicken, so that the tenders cook through evenly.
- Place the tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook them in two batches if you need.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat them in the air fryer at 400F for 3 to 4 minutes.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Sticky BBQ Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Watch the Full Video
Nashville Style Hot Chicken Tenders (Air Fryer Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoon hot sauce
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for spraying Canola, Olive Oil, or any oil with a high smoke point
Hot Paste
- ½ cup peanut oil
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Season tenders with a little salt and pepper. Set aside. Create a dredging station by whisking milk and hot sauce in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix panko bread crumbs, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Start by coating chicken tenders with milk mixture and drain off excess milk, then coat chicken in panko bread crumbs mixture, ensuring all of the chicken is coated.
- Place chicken in greased air fryer basket or use a parchment sheet liner. Cook on 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes, flipping and spraying chicken halfway through cooking, until chicken is fully cooked and has reached a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, when there are about 5 minutes left on the chicken, create the hot paste. Add peanut oil, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Once your mixture starts to bubble and simmer, remove from heat.
- Once chicken tenders are done, remove from air fryer and add them to a large bowl. Pour the hot paste over the chicken and toss to combine, making sure hot sauce covers all of the chicken. Serve and enjoy.
Suggested Tools
Video
Notes
- Be sure to pre heat your air fryer before you add your chicken, so that the tenders cook through evenly.
- Place the tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook them in two batches if you need.
- This chicken is really really really hot. If you’d like a milder chicken, reduce the cayenne pepper.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat them in the air fryer at 400F for 3 to 4 minutes.
Sean says
Love this one. Second time around I reduced the cayenne for my wife. Still delicious.
Third time around, I realized I had no breadcrumbs! In a pinch, I did half the batch with crushed up cheezits (really good) and the other half with French’s fried onions (amazing).
Tanya says
Hey Sean, Thanks so much and I'm so happy you all enjoyed the recipe. I love your tweaks too. Sounds delish!
Kijai says
This recipe is amazing! I discovered it during the pandemic and it has been a regular in my household ever since! The sauce is the perfect amount of sweet and heat in my opinion.
Tanya says
Thank you so much for the feedback, Kijai! So happy this recipe is on repeat for you. It's def one of my favorites.
Melissa says
Way too much flavor from the peanut oil. Could barely taste anything but peanuts unfortunately.
Tanya says
I don't taste the peanut oil at all; however, feel free to use any other neutral oil you prefer for next time.
Bell says
@Melissa, maybe your peanut oil is rancid. I've never tasted a peanut flavor in any peanut oil.
david says
I've made this three times already and the family is a big fan. My kids ask for it all the time. I use the recipe as you describe, but go a little easier on the spice. This is becoming a regularly requested dish!
Tanya says
Thanks so much, David! I love that you've adapted the spice for your kids too.
Michelle says
hi, i plan on making this sometime this week, i was wondering which hot sauce you used?
Tanya says
Hi Michelle, I use Texas Pete hot sauce.
Jan P says
Ok this looks delicious and I will be trying. You said you use chicken tenders but, breast can be used. Isn’t that what the tenders are made from? Thanks for sharing.
Tanya says
Hi Jan P, great question. Tenderloins are a muscle located under the breast. You can usually find them in packs at the grocery store. If you can't find them, cutting a breast into large strips makes a great substitution. Tenderloins tend to be more tender.
JENNIFER MAJOR says
Hi Tanya,
Making this tonight! Just to clarify, in the ingredients section, is the garlic and onion powder measurements in teaspoons?
Thank you!!
Tanya says
Hi Jennifer, yes, they should both say teaspoons. I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Stephanie says
Would this work with avocado oil instead of peanut oil?? Peanut oil is an inflammatory oil, so I try to stay away from it?
Tanya says
I haven't made it with avocado oil but that should work just fine.
Taylor says
This recipe looks amazing and I cannot and will not wait to try it! But I do have one concern, I n=don't have an air fryer so can I maybe use the oven or fry them
? THANKS SO MUCH!! 🙂
Tanya says
Hi Taylor, yes, you can do either one.
Chris says
If I am using buttermilk will it be the same measurement?
Tanya says
Hi Chris, yes it is.
Alicia says
Identical but SO MUCH BETTER than kfc. Wow. These turned out so amazing and crispy and so tasty. The peanut oil is IMMACULATE. I dipped in oat milk because I don’t do dairy too much & it worked just fine.
Tanya says
Thank you for the feedback Alicia 🙂
Keisha says
why do you use milk instead of buttermilk in the recipe
Tanya says
Since the chicken tenders are only quickly dipped into the milk mixture, I opted for milk rather than buttermilk. I generally would only use buttermilk if I were going to marinate the chicken for a longer period of time.
Kelly says
This recipe was delicious!!!! Tons of flavor and such a fun way to eat chicken. Next time we want to try it on a bun with coleslaw - we can’t wait! This will definitely be a crowd pleaser when we have friends over. We also had an issue with the paste not holding together well, but based on some previous comments we will try heating it with lower heat next time.
Tanya says
Thanks Kelly :)So happy you liked the recipe.
Carly says
Can I use vegetable oil instead of peanut oil? I’m highly allergic to peanuts 🙂 thanks!
Tanya says
Hi Carly, vegetable oil should work fine. The one oil I would not recommend is coconut oil.
Barbara says
Delicious! I think the oil could be cut to a little less than 1/2. We used 1T cayenne and that was medium/hot just right for me!