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Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Chicken tenders are tossed with a little oil, garlic, and parmesan, then air-fried until the cheese spots turn gold. The thickest piece should read 165°F before the basket comes out.

Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Chicken tenders dusted with parmesan and garlic on a plate, one tender cut open to show white meat.

Why you’ll love it

  • Oil helps the parmesan stick and brown instead of drying into dust.
  • Garlic is mixed in raw and cooks in the basket, so it does not burn in a pan first.
  • Tenders are a similar thickness, which keeps the timing even.
  • The cheese crust finishes fast, so the chicken does not need a long cook past 165°F.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the tenders dry. In a bowl, toss them with the oil, garlic, parmesan, salt, pepper, and parsley. Press the cheese on so it clings.

  2. 2

    Heat the air fryer to 390°F. Lay the tenders in a single layer. Do not crowd the basket. Cheese-covered chicken that overlaps will steam and stick.

  3. 3

    Cook 6 minutes. Flip carefully so the crust stays on.

  4. 4

    Cook 4 to 6 minutes more, until the parmesan is golden in spots and the thickest tender reads 165°F in the center.

  5. 5

    If the cheese smells sharp and looks very dark, pull that batch even if you are a minute short, and check the temperature. Dark parmesan turns bitter.

  6. 6

    Cook any remaining tenders for the same time. Rest 2 minutes before serving so the juices settle.

Pro tips

  • Grated parmesan, not shredded, makes a tighter crust. Shredded cheese melts off in sheets.
  • A light oil rub on the basket or a perforated liner helps the cheese release. Heavy oil makes the coating soggy.
  • If your tenders are much thicker than 1/2 inch, add 2 minutes and rely on the thermometer, not the clock.

Easy substitutions

chicken tenders
chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch strips
parmesan
pecorino
olive oil
avocado oil

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. The crust softens as it sits.

Reheating

Air-fry at 350°F for 3 to 5 minutes, until the center is hot and the cheese crisps again. Check that it is steaming hot before serving.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
340
Protein
44 g
Carbs
2 g
Fat
16 g
Fiber
0 g

Moderate · Air Fryer · High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients