The Secret to No-Mess “Fried” Chicken Is in the Snack Aisle

A coating of crushed potato chips makes these air-fried chicken tenders ultra-crispy—no deep frying required.

By
Ali Ramee
Ali Ramee
Ali Ramee
Ali Ramee is a recipe developer and food stylist for Dotdash Meredith. A College of Charleston graduate with a communications major, Ali began her culinary career in the kitchens of chef Hugh Acheson in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus is a food writer and editor, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in New England. Her work appears in print and online for America's Test Kitchen, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, King Arthur Baking Company, and cookbooks for Ten Speed Press, in addition to her work for Simply Recipes.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published February 25, 2025
Angled view of a white plate of air fryer potato chip chicken tenders along with a small bowl of dipping sauce

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

If you’re craving crunchy, craggy, salty fried chicken but don’t want to deal with deep frying, swing through the snack aisle instead. With a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips and your trusty air fryer at your side, you’re just half an hour away from super crispy, deeply seasoned “fried” chicken strips!

This recipe packs in flavor and texture in three key ways: First, the chicken tenders themselves are seasoned generously with kosher salt. Then they’re dredged in flour that’s spiked with seasoned salt (like Lawry’s) for another layer of depth. After a dip in some beaten egg, the exteriors are then coated with crushed potato chips, which mimic the crunchy coating from deep-fried chicken with none of the mess.

After just ten minutes in the air fryer, these chicken tenders emerge golden and shatteringly crisp on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Devour them as-is with ketchup or a fancy honey mustard, or use them to top a green salad or stuff into a wrap. 

Overhead view of five air fryer potato chip chicken tenders in a stoneware bowl along with a small bowl of dipping sauce on a teal cloth background

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Amp Up the Flavor

Want to build in even more flavor to your chicken? Play with different flavors of potato chips! Barbecue, salt and vinegar, pickle, or jalapeño-flavored chips would all work well in addition to plain. Just make sure you use kettle-cooked chips, which will offer a crispier exterior, better crunch, and a less greasy finish compared to traditionally-cooked potato chips, such as Lay’s.

Oven Method

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make these tenders in the oven instead. Arrange the coated chicken on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the tops evenly with cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes, flipping and spraying the other side of chicken with cooking spray halfway through baking.

Overhead view of a small blue plate of air fryer potato chip chicken tenders and sauce next to a white plate of tenders and a small bowl of dipping sauce

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Air Fryer Potato Chip Chicken Tenders

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s)

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 (13-ounce) bag kettle-cooked potato chips

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders (about 12)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • Nonstick cooking spray

Method

  1. Set up a dredging station:

    In a shallow dish, stir together the flour, seasoned salt, and pepper. In a second shallow dish, add the beaten eggs. Add the potato chips to a large zip-top bag and crush the chips with a rolling pin to make coarse crumbs.

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Dredge the chicken:

    Season the chicken all over with the kosher salt. Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dip it in the beaten egg to coat, letting the excess drip off. Add the chicken to the zip-top bag with the crushed chips. Repeat until you have about 4 tenders in the bag.

    Seal the bag and shake and press to coat the chicken with the chips. Remove the chicken from the bag and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

  3. Air fry the chicken:

    Preheat an air fryer to 400°F if your air fryer requires preheating. If your air fryer has multiple settings, use the “air fry” setting.

    Working in batches, arrange the coated chicken tenders in the air fryer basket so they’re not touching each other. Spray the tops of the tenders with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, crispy, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 10 minutes, flipping and spraying the other side of chicken with cooking spray halfway through. Sprinkle with additional salt to taste and serve.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F until hot.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
656 Calories
30g Fat
35g Carbs
59g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 656
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 231mg 77%
Sodium 1860mg 81%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 59g
Vitamin C 9mg 47%
Calcium 61mg 5%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 1003mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.