Puerto Rican air fried chicken tenders

Name: Puerto Rican Air Fried Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 23 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 pounds chicken tenders; 1 teaspoon sazon seasoning; 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning; 1 teaspoon dried oregano seasoning; cooking spray

Puerto Rican chicken tenders cooked in the air fryer is the perfect chicken recipe for lunch!

Tender, juicy, and highly flavorful with fresh homemade adobo seasoning and some sazon for color!

Seasoned chicken tenders on a black cast iron pan over a dark blue background.

This year, lunch won't be the same. I need to make sure I have easy lunches for kids that can be prepped the night before for a quick heat through or easy cook in an air fryer before they head off to school or between class at home.

Packing lunches for kids will be the norm.

Time to make sure we're able to create quick lunches that kids love. (And adults too!)

Ingredients

Making Puerto Rican chicken tenders is easy! I'm literally using 4 ingredients. (5 if you use cooking spray.)

chicken tenders
- Tip- Chicken breast is cheaper. I buy that and just cut it into 2-3 even slices to create my own chicken tenders.
olive oil
sazon seasoning
- We have our own homemade sazon seaoning recipe that we use. But you can use an envelope of store bought sazon seasoning.
- Turmeric can also be used for color.
adobo seasoning
- Here's a homemade adobo seasoning recipe.
OPTIONAL -cooking spray for crispier chicken.

Raw chicken tender, seasoned with adobo in a metal bowl.

Instructions

Rub chicken tenders with olive oil, season with adobo and sazon.
Let chicken marinate for 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge. (If you're in a rush, skip this step.)
When ready to cook, preheat air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray air fryer with cooking spray, spread chicken tenders over the chicken, being sure the chicken does not overlap.

Raw chicken tenders lined on an air fryer.

Spray chicken (this helps make it "crispy") and close.
Cook for 8 minutes on one side, flip and cook for an additional 7 minutes on the other side.

FAQ

Can chicken tenders be eaten cold?

Chicken tenders can be served hot or cold. You can roll it in a chicken wrap, or serve it with a side of BBQ sauce for dipping.

How can I keep chicken tenders hot for lunch?

Warm chicken tenders in the morning and place into a high quality insulated container.
Artic Zone offers a great line of insulated lunch products, like this hot/cold food carrier that can easily hold a few chicken tenders and french fries, too!

How many chicken tenders should I pack?

I tend to over pack for my kids. For elementary school, I would say 1-2 chicken tenders with 2-3 sides, middle and high school students, 2-3 chicken tenders (with sides too).

What kind of air fryer should I buy?

There are a ton of air fryers to choose from! With a large family, I chose a larger one.
Instant Pot created a Vortex 7 in 1 Air Fryer that is calling my name!