Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders are perfectly juicy, crispy and saucy all while being completely paleo, gluten, grain and dairy-free. They are going to become a staple for your game day gatherings that everyone will love. All you need is a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes of cooking time!
My boyfriend is always dousing his food in buffalo sauce, but I wasn’t sold on it until I tried this Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders recipe. These chicken tenders are coated in a paleo-friendly buffalo sauce that is spicy, tangy and creamy all at once. They really are finger-licking good! Seriously, whether you’re a buffalo aficionado or on the fence like I was, I guarantee you will enjoy these!
But wait…it gets better! Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders aren’t complete without ranch, so of course I’m serving it with a homemade dairy-free ranch dipping sauce. My version only has a handful of simple ingredients and comes together super quickly. If you’re in a pinch, feel free to use store bought ranch…there’s no shame in the convenience game!
What You Need to Make These Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Tenders: You can’t make crispy chicken tenders without the chicken! Only have chicken drumsticks on hand? Try out my friend, Maxine’s, Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks!
- Dairy Free Milk: Any variety of non-dairy milk works (oat, cashew, soy, almond, etc), but make sure that it is unflavored and unsweetened or else your chicken tenders will come out tasting funky.
- Lemon Juice: By combining fresh lemon juice with the dairy free milk, we create a buttermilk alternative that keeps these chicken tenders moist and delicious.
- Eggs: Eggs are the key ingredient to help the breading stick to the chicken.
- Cassava flour: This gluten & grain free flour is very similar in texture to traditional all-purpose flour, which makes it perfect for this recipe! I have also tried oat flour and it works just as great! I am guessing that gluten-free 1:1 flour should work as well.
- Buffalo Sauce: Duh! My favorite brand is Primal Kitchen because they are paleo-friendly and have an ingredient list that I trust. When in doubt, use the good ole fashioned Frank’s RedHot wing sauce.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.
- Cooking Spray: This will prevent sticking and also give the tenders an extra crisp.
What You Need to Make Homemade Dairy Free Ranch Dipping Sauce
- Dairy Free Yogurt: I love Siggi’s Plant Based yogurts but feel free to substitute with your preferred plain non-dairy yogurt as long as it’s on the thicker side!
- Dill: An essential flavor in ranch.
- Parsley: Fresh is best.
- Lemon Juice: Citrus makes any dressing better.
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Just a few staple seasonings to bring it all together!
Tips and Tricks For Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
I want to make sure you nail this recipe! Here are some notes that you might find helpful.
- Use Shallow Bowls for Breading: There will be two different “stations” for the breading process. One for the whisked eggs and one for the flour and spice mixture. You want to use shallow bowls for these so that your chicken tenders can get fit easily and get fully coated.
- One Hand for Wet Ingredients, One Hand for Dry Ingredients: To keep your hands and kitchen cleaner, use one hand for dipping into the egg wash and the other hand for dipping into the flour mixture.
- Keep an Eye on Your Air Fryer: Every air fryer cooks differently, so you may need to adjust the cooking time and/or temperature. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is fully cooked.
- Be Gentle When Flipping & Dunking the Tenders: I have to admit, these buffalo chicken tenders have a much more fragile breading than the classic, greasy chicken tenders. With that said, use your tongs or a spatula to gently flip the chicken tenders halfway through the cooking time to ensure the breading doesn’t fall off. Similarly, be gentle when dunking them into the buffalo sauce at the end.
Looking for Other Game Day Recipes?
- Philly Cheesesteak Skillet (using Ground Beef!)
- Miso Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Best S’mores Cookie Skillet
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These crispy and saucy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders are the ultimate healthy comfort food. A side of homemade dairy-free ranch for dipping is a must!
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- ½ cup dairy-free milk (unflavored and unsweetened)
- juice from half a small lemon
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cassava flour plus more as needed (see note for substitutions)
- ½ tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika
- 1 cup buffalo sauce (Primal Kitchen brand for paleo)
Dairy-Free Ranch
- 4 tbsp dairy-free yogurt
- ½ tsp fresh chopped dill
- ½ tsp fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- â…› tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder
Instructions
- If you have a basket type of air fryer, spray the basket with cooking spray to avoid sticking. If you have an oven type of air fryer, line the pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add milk, lemon and 1 tbsp of buffalo sauce and whisk to combine. Let the mixture sit for a minute. Then add the chicken tenders and let them marinate for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating, add eggs to a shallow bowl & whisk. In another shallow bowl, add flour and spices and stir to combine.
- One at a time, take each tender form the milk mixture and dip it into the flour mixture, then the egg, and then the flour again. Place into air fryer basket and spray the top of each tender generously with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 400F for 5 mins and then gently flip. Spray the other side generously with cooking spray and air fry for another 5 mins or until cooked through.
- In a shallow bowl, add the buffalo sauce and dunk each cooked tender into the sauce. Let the excess drip off before placing onto a plate.
- Make the ranch by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Video
Notes
Flour Substitutions: I have also tried this with oat flour and it works great! Please note, oat flour is not paleo compliant. While I have not tried other options, I would imagine that gluten free 1-to-1 flour would work, or normal all purpose flour if you’re not gluten free. Oven option (breading does not stick as well): As the chicken is marinating, preheat oven to 400F. Follow all steps above, except place the chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet & bake for 22-25 mins, or until cooked through. Leftovers: These are best eaten right away, as they may get soggy if you store them in the fridge.Â
Did you make this recipe?
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