Air Fryer Chicken Fingers

I finally got me an air fryer. So, today I am going to share with you how to make air fryer chicken fingers (aka Chicken Strips) using the frozen, fully cooked kind from the grocery store. Just be sure to serve them up with the recipe for chicken finger sauce I shared with you all yesterday.

The air fryers today are different from the first ones that came out. I had one of those when they first came out, and I wasn’t impressed. However, when my second son was headed off to college, he asked for an air fryer. So after some investigating, I decided that they were now different from the one I first had, and we purchased one for him for Christmas. He loved and has loved having it. When he was home for the summer, he brought his air fryer with him. Consequently, I got to see this baby in use regularly.

Now, with an air fryer, it cooks food like it would in an oven, but faster.

It also cooks the food with little or no oil.  Another thing is that it cooks faster than a regular oven because there is no need to preheat. If you have a college-age kid, I highly recommend an air fryer for them. They don’t need one larger than 4 qt. It is great to have if you are in a dorm, because you can now cook food! Or if they are in an apartment, they can just cook food fast.

For my college student, he used it for chicken fingers, pizza rolls, taquitos, egg rolls, fries, etc. There was no need to fight for use of the oven in his apartment. Plus, his food cooked faster. My son absolutely loves his air fryer. Well, after he returned from college this year due to the pandemic, he had his trusty air fryer. So I decided it was time for me to get one of my own.

My husband had done all of the research on what air fryer to buy. One of the top brands was GoWise USA. I went with the 5.8 qt size as I am using it for more than one person. I also like this particular brand because they come in different colors. This air fryer was going to be on my countertop, so I wanted it to look nice in my white kitchen.

An air fryer is great for any food you don’t like to cook or reheat in the microwave, which makes it soggy.

The air fryer is a perfect way to reheat a slice of that leftover pizza! You can also use it for small items you would normally cook in the oven and get it done fast. These chicken fingers would normally take 10 minutes for the oven to heat up. Then, another 18 or so minutes to cook the chicken fingers. In the air fryer, I can have crispy air fryer chicken tenders ready to eat in 10 minutes. Only 1/3 the time it would normally take in the oven.

You can also use an air fryer to cook from-scratch items too. I’m hoping to try some of those things soon. Then I will share with you all what I have made that turned out great.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to preheat the air fryer first?
One benefit of my air fryer is that there is no need to preheat, which helps the chicken fingers cook faster than in the oven.

How do I know when the chicken fingers are done?
Check them with a thermometer and make sure they reach 165°F before serving.

How many chicken fingers can I cook at once?
That depends on the size of your air fryer. The recipe says to place the desired amount in the basket and notes that most air fryers have a maximum fill line to guide you.

Why use an air fryer instead of the oven?
The air fryer cooks the chicken fingers much faster than the oven and with little or no oil. The same chicken fingers would take about 10 minutes to preheat the oven, plus around 18 minutes to bake. However, they can be ready in about 10 minutes in the air fryer.

What should I serve with air fryer chicken fingers?
The post recommends serving them with the chicken finger sauce recipe shared the day before.

What size air fryer works well?
For a college student, a 4-quart size is enough. For my family, I got a 5.8-quart size.

Can I use the air fryer for other frozen foods too?
Yes. The post mentions using it for pizza rolls, taquitos, egg rolls, and fries, in addition to chicken fingers.

Tips and Tricks

Cook the chicken strips in a single layer. The recipe specifically says to place the frozen chicken strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket. That helps the hot air circulate well so they cook evenly and crisp up better.

Do not overfill the basket. How many you can cook at once depends on the size of your air fryer, and the post notes that there is usually a maximum fill line in the basket. Staying under that line helps the strips cook properly.

Use the air fryer instead of the oven to save time. The oven would take about 10 minutes to preheat plus around 18 minutes to cook, while the air fryer can have them ready in about 10 to 12 minutes total. That is one of the biggest advantages of this method.

Check the internal temperature before serving. The recipe says to cook at 370°F for 12 minutes, but also to test with a thermometer and make sure the chicken reaches 165°F. That is the best way to know they are done.

Pair them with a dipping sauce.
I recommend serving chicken fingers with the chicken finger sauce recipe shared the day before. A good dipping sauce makes them even better.

This is NOT a sponsored post. I decided to share my experience with the air fryer I recently purchased. There are affiliate links included here for the air fryer.