Crispy Butter Garlic Chicken Tenders (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken Tenders

01 - 2 lb chicken tenderloins
02 - 1/2 cup flour
03 - 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning (Cajun, Kick'n Chicken, etc.)
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
06 - 2 eggs
07 - 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
08 - 3 cups cornflakes, crushed into coarse crumbs
09 - Olive oil or avocado oil spray (aerosol spray ideal)

→ Cowboy Butter

10 - 1 stick butter, mostly melted
11 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1/2 lemon, zested + 1 tbsp juice
13 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tsp paprika
15 - 1/2 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes
16 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
17 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
18 - 1 tbsp chives or green onions, sliced
19 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
20 - Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

# Instructions:

01 - Place the cornflakes in a ziplock bag, seal it well, and crush them using a rolling pin or meat mallet. You want them to be broken down into coarse crumbs, not completely pulverized into powder. The texture of the crumbs will give your chicken tenders that perfect crunch.
02 - Arrange three shallow dishes in a row to create your breading assembly line. In the first dish, combine the flour, all-purpose seasoning, salt, and pepper, mixing well. In the second dish, whisk together the eggs and milk (or buttermilk) until smooth. In the third dish, pour your crushed cornflake crumbs.
03 - Using one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet (this prevents your fingers from getting too gunky), take each chicken tenderloin and first coat it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip it into the egg wash, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, press it into the cornflake crumbs, making sure they adhere well to all sides of the chicken.
04 - Place your breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer basket, arranging them in a single layer with a little space between each piece. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Spray the tenders evenly with olive oil or avocado oil spray to help them crisp up.
05 - Set your air fryer to 400°F and cook the chicken tenders for 5 minutes. Then flip each tender over, spray again with oil, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until they're golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - While the chicken is cooking, prepare the cowboy butter. In a medium bowl, combine the mostly melted butter, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika, cayenne (or red pepper flakes), dried thyme, red pepper flakes, sliced chives or green onions, and minced parsley. Mix well and season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Once the chicken tenders are done cooking, transfer them to a large bowl while still hot. Pour the cowboy butter over the tenders and gently toss until each piece is evenly coated in the flavorful sauce.
08 - Arrange the coated chicken tenders on a serving plate and serve immediately while hot and crispy. These are delicious on their own or with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.

# Notes:

01 - For extra crispy tenders, you can cook them for an additional 1-2 minutes in the air fryer.
02 - Using buttermilk instead of regular milk adds extra tenderness to the chicken.
03 - If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake these tenders in the oven at 425°F for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
04 - The cowboy butter sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Just reheat gently before tossing with the chicken.

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