If you're looking for a quick, delicious, easy chicken recipe, these crispy garlic parmesan chicken tenders are exactly what you need. They only use a few ingredients but are packed with flavor, coated in a crunchy cornflake crust, infused with a garlic and parsley butter before being topped off with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.
These garlic parmesan chicken strips are a year round favorite that shines during special occasions such as game day or parties. They are also incredibly versatile and can be either eaten on their own with a dipping sauce, with fries, or paired with vegetables or salad.
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Ingredients
Chicken Breasts - I like to sse chicken breasts because they are lean, tender, and cook quickly. Cut them into strips to create delicious chicken tenders that are perfect for coating and air frying, ensuring a crispy outside with a juicy, tender inside.
Egg - Use an egg as a binding agent to help the crushed cornflakes stick to the chicken strips.
Cornflakes - Crushed cornflakes to serve as the crunchy coating for the chicken. Their light and airy texture crisps up beautifully in the air fryer, creating a satisfying crunch with each bite. Cornflakes also offer a gluten-free alternative to traditional breadcrumbs.
Dried Parsley - Season both the chicken and the cornflake coating with dried parsley for a mild, herby flavor.
Garlic Salt - Season the chicken with garlic salt to ensure every bite has an underlying garlic flavor.
Fresh Garlic Cloves - Add fresh garlic to the butter sauce for an aromatic, garlicky taste.
Butter - Melt butter and mix it with garlic, parsley, and chili flakes to create a rich and flavorful sauce. Brush it over the chicken strips to add a luxurious, buttery flavor that complements the crispy coating.
Fresh Parsley - Add fresh parsley to the garlic butter sauce for a burst of color and freshness.
Chili Flakes - Sprinkle a pinch of chili flakes to add a subtle heat to the dish, creating a nice contrast with the rich butter sauce and crispy coating. The heat is not overpowering but gives a little kick that elevates the overall flavor.
Parmesan Cheese - Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the cooked chicken strips to add a nutty, salty flavor that enhances the taste of the dish. The Parmesan melts slightly over the hot chicken, creating a delicious, cheesy finish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the chicken by cutting chicken breasts into even strips. Season the chicken with garlic salt and dried parsley, which adds a fragrant and flavorful base to the chicken.
- Step 2: Beat an egg on a plate or in a bowl and dip both sides of each chicken strip into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Step 3: Season the cornflakes with the same garlic salt and dried parsley used for the chicken, thoroughly coat the eggy chicken with the seasoned cornflakes.
- Step 4: Arrange the coated chicken strips in your air fryer basket, making sure they aren’t overcrowded. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray or oil to ensure a golden, crispy texture. Cook the chicken at 190°C (374°F) for 12 minutes, turning the strips over halfway through cooking.
5. Step 5: While the chicken is cooking, melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave and mix in freshly crushed garlic cloves, chopped parsley, a pinch of chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. This garlic butter sauce will elevate the flavor of your chicken strips, adding a rich, savory depth.
6. Step 6: Once the chicken is cooked and crispy, pour the garlic butter sauce over the chicken strips. You can either brush it on or spoon it over and shake together, making sure every piece is well coated.
7. Step 7: Finally, sprinkle a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese over both sides of the chicken strips. The Parmesan will melt slightly, adding a delightful cheesy finish. I recommend serving these with some creamy ranch or blue cheese sauce.
Hint: To keep the cornflakes crispy, add a little at a time to the plate as you coat the chicken. If you want extra crispy chicken then dip the cornflake coated chicken back into the egg then into more cornflakes to give a double layered crispy coating before placing in the air fryer.
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Substitutions
Chicken Breasts - Replace chicken breasts with chicken thighs, turkey fillets, or tofu for a vegetarian option.
Egg - Instead of an egg, use buttermilk, plain yogurt, or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water).
Crushed Cornflakes - Substitute cornflakes with panko breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or crushed pretzels to create a slightly different flavor coating while still achieving a crunchy exterior.
Dried Parsley - Swap dried parsley with dried oregano, dried basil, or Italian seasoning for a similar herby flavor.
Garlic Salt - Substitute garlic salt with regular salt combined with garlic powder, or use onion salt for a different flavor.
Fresh Garlic Cloves - Replace fresh garlic with garlic powder, roasted garlic, or minced jarred garlic to maintain a similar garlicky flavor.
Butter - Replace butter with olive oil, ghee, or a dairy-free butter substitute.
Fresh Parsley - Swap fresh parsley with dried parsley, fresh basil, cilantro, or chives.
Chili Flakes - Substitute chili flakes with cayenne pepper, paprika, or a dash of hot sauce. Each option will provide a bit of heat with a slightly different flavor.
Parmesan - Replace Parmesan with Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or a dairy-free Parmesan alternative. You could also add nutritional yeast to the garlic butter for a slightly cheesy, dairy-free option for this garlic parmesan chicken.
Variations
Spicy - Add extra chili flakes to the cornflake coating for more heat, or include finely chopped fresh chili or jalapeños in the garlic butter sauce.
Lemon-Garlic - Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the garlic butter sauce and zest to the cornflake coating for a bright, tangy kick.
Kid-Friendly - Replace the cornflakes with crushed potato chips (like ketchup or barbecue chips) for a fun, flavorful coating that kids will love.
Equipment
Cutting Board - To cut the chicken into strips and chop fresh ingredients like garlic and parsley.
Sharp Knife - Essential for cutting the chicken and chopping other ingredients.
Mixing Bowls or plates - One for the egg wash, another for the crushed cornflakes and a third for the garlic butter mixture
Air Fryer - To cook the chicken strips to crispy perfection.
Storage Instructions for Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
To store leftovers of these garlic parmesan chicken tenders, let the chicken cool completely. Place the cooled chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
To reheat, set your air fryer to 180°C (350°F) and heat the tenders for 5-7 minutes to maintain their crispiness. Alternatively, reheat them in an oven at the same temperature for 10-12 minutes. Avoid microwaving to prevent the coating from becoming soggy.
Freezing Garlic Parmesan Chicken
For longer storage, freeze the chicken strips in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. You can freeze them for up to 2 months.
To cook the chicken from frozen, preheat your air fryer to 190°C (374°F). Place the frozen chicken strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket to ensure they don't get overcrowded. Cook for 18-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Top Tip
Make sure to crush the cornflakes to a fine but slightly textured consistency. This ensures the coating sticks well to the chicken while providing maximum crunch. Additionally, only coat the chicken with a small amount of cornflakes at a time to keep them from becoming soggy, ensuring every bite is perfectly crispy.
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Recipe
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- 3 mixing bowls or plates
- 1 bowl
- Airfryer
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breasts sliced
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups cornflakes crushed
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ cup melted butter
- 15 g fresh parsley chopped
- 2 pinch chili flakes
- 75 g Parmesan grated
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into even strips.500 g chicken breasts
- Season the chicken with garlic salt and dried parsley on both sides of the chicken2 teaspoon garlic salt, 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- Beat the eggs on a plate or in a bowl and dip both sides of each chicken strip into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Once the first egg is done2 eggs
- Add cornflakes to a plate or bowl and season the cornflakes with the same garlic salt and dried parsley used for the chicken2 cups cornflakes, 2 teaspoon dried parsley, 2 teaspoon garlic salt
- Thoroughly coat the eggy chicken with the seasoned cornflakes.500 g chicken breasts, 2 cups cornflakes
- Arrange the coated chicken strips in your air fryer basket, making sure they aren’t overcrowded. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray or oil to ensure a golden, crispy texture. Cook the chicken at 190°C (374°F) for 12 minutes, turning the strips over halfway through cooking.
Make the garlic butter
- Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds½ cup melted butter
- Mix in freshly crushed garlic cloves, chopped parsley, a pinch of chili flakes, and a pinch of salt.3 cloves garlic, 2 pinch chili flakes, 15 g fresh parsley
Finish and serve
- Once the chicken is cooked and crispy, pour the garlic butter sauce over the chicken strips. You can either brush it on or spoon it over and shake together, making sure every piece is well coated.
- Finally, sprinkle a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese over both sides of the chicken strips. The Parmesan will melt slightly, adding a delightful cheesy finish.75 g Parmesan
