Made with low-carb breading and seasoned to perfection, these succulent keto chicken tenders are the ultimate guilt-free indulgence for your ketogenic lifestyle. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and completely carb-conscious
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Everyone loves Chicken Tenders. They are delicious comfort food and a staple of childhood. These Low Carb Crispy Chicken Tenders are so flavorful PLUS they are completely mess-free and ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish!
This recipe is inspired by my Keto Air Fryer Pork Chops, so be sure to check it out as well. Pair these tenders with zucchini tots and some microwave cauliflower mac and cheese for the perfect nostalgic meal.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
The seasoning for these tenders is pretty basic, so feel free to play around with it and make it your own!
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders - You can also use chicken thighs or breasts cut into strips.
- Almond Flour - if desired, swap the almond flour with crushed pork rinds
- Seasoning: I used paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Feel free to adjust the seasoning.
- Spray Oil - You will need to spritz the chicken with oil in order to get it nice and crispy. I use a misto (affiliate) but you can use store-bought spay oil as well.
Keto Dipping Sauces for Chicken Tenders
I am a self-proclaimed condiment queen. No meal is complete without a complimentary sauce and chicken tenders are certainly no exception. These tenders go really well with sugar-free barbecue sauce, Honey Dijon Mustard, or simply ketchup.
Cooking Method
Using a Ziploc bag to coat the chicken in breading results in chicken that is fully covered in breading AND is completely mess free. If you prefer to avoid plastic bags you can toss the chicken in the breading using a Tupperware container with a lid.
I have included directions for both oven and air fryer preparation. The tenders will be great using either cooking method but, the air fryer gets them a tad crispier and cooks them a little faster.
Try these other great posts from This Mom's Menu:
- Keto Chicken and Waffles
- Crispy Pork Chops in the Air Fryer
- 15 Tools & Gadgets Every Keto Kitchen Needs!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Keto Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders
- ¾ cup Almond Flour
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- dash Cayenne Pepper optional
- Olive Oil Spray
Instructions
- In a large zip top bag, combine the almond flour and the seasonings, mixing well.
- Add ⅓ of the chicken tenders to the bag. Seal the bag and shake to thoroughly coat each tender with the almond flour mixture. Transfer the preheated air fryer basket or prepared baking sheet.
For the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 425℉, and grease a foil-lined baking sheet with ½ tablespoon of olive oil.
- Once the breaded chicken has been placed on the baking sheet, spritz it with the remaining olive oil and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until done, flipping halfway.
For the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and spritz with olive oil. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until done.
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
KB says
Can I make these and then freeze for reheating?
Sabra says
Yep! If you plan on freezing, I like to cook them just until the chicken is cooked through, allow them to completely cool then freeze them. To cook from frozen, I just pop them in the oven at 350 or so until the chicken is heated through and the outside is crisped up.
Jane Robinson says
What is 1 serving please?
Sabra says
Generally, I get 3-4 tenders per serving. However, the exact number of chicken tenders per serving will vary to some degree each time you make it since the number of tenders in 2 1/2 lbs isn't always the same. To get the most accurate serving size, simply divide the total number of tenders you use by 6 🙂
Hope that makes sense!
Shannen R. says
How many chicken tenders equal a serving? Thanks!
Sabra says
Generally, I get 3-4 tenders per serving. However, the exact number of chicken tenders per serving will vary to some degree each time you make it since the number of tenders in 2 1/2 lbs isn't always the same. To get the most accurate serving size, simply divide the total number of tenders you use by 6 🙂
Hope that makes sense!
Sharon says
Was wondering what your thoughts were on using coconut flour instead. I have a family member who is allergic.
Sabra says
Hi Sharon! I haven't had the best of luck with coconut flour, unfortunately. You can try using crushed pork rinds in place of the almond flour though and it works very well!
katie says
hell i'm making your chicken strips now but i did flat small pieces like nuggets cuz i have 2 littles that are very picky. i was wondering if you knew how many 3-4 stripes weigh. thank you so much. they smell so yummy!!!!
Ja says
These were so incredibly easy and good, I will be making these often. Costco used to sell organic chicken nuggets that my kids loved but hasn’t carried them for months. I was thrilled to find that I could Use organic chicken breast to make these both organic and low carb and my kids loved them! I think they are better than chik fil a 😀
Pat Odoms says
Delicious with or without BBQ sauce. I used a sugar free BBQ sauce with honey. My air fryer does not have a 375 setting. Only in tens 370, 380 etc. So first batch of 3 generous sized tenders I cooked at 370 degrees for 5 minutes then flipped for another 5 minutes.Looked like they needed a little longer so put back in fryer for another 2 minutes. Second batch of 3 I again used 370 degrees for 5 minutes then flipped for another 7 minutes. Perfect. I sprayed bottom of fryer with olive oil spray & on tops of tenders before cooking
Gene says
Do you know how many carbs per serving total carbs