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Cowboy Butter Chicken Tenders

These Cowboy Butter Chicken Tenders are coated in an ultra-crispy cornflake crust, air fried until golden, and tossed in a rich lemony garlic cowboy butter sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes, they make an easy dinner, appetizer, or game-day favorite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 tenders
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Tenders
  • 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning such as Cajun seasoning or Kick'n Chicken seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk buttermilk may be substituted
  • 3 cups corn flakes crushed into coarse crumbs
  • olive oil or avocado oil spray as needed; aerosol spray works best for even coverage
Cowboy Butter
  • 1 stick butter mostly melted; approximately 1/2 cup
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 lemon zested, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chives sliced; green onions may be substituted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
Optional for Serving
  • ranch dressing for dipping
  • blue cheese dressing for dipping

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Three shallow bowls or dishes
  • Gallon-size zip-top bag
  • Rolling pin or meat mallet
  • Whisk
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Tongs

Method
 

Prepare the Cornflake Coating
  1. Add the corn flakes to a gallon-size zip-top bag and seal it. Crush them with a rolling pin or meat mallet until coarse crumbs form.
  2. Set out three shallow dishes. In the first dish, combine the flour, all-purpose seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
  3. In the second dish, whisk the eggs and milk or buttermilk until smooth.
  4. Add the crushed cornflake crumbs to the third dish.
Bread the Chicken
  1. Working with one chicken tender at a time, coat it completely in the seasoned flour mixture.
  2. Transfer the floured tender to the egg wash and coat completely.
  3. Transfer the chicken to the crushed cornflakes and press the crumbs firmly onto all sides. Using one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet ingredients can make the breading process less messy.
Air Fry the Chicken
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C), if required by your air fryer model.
  2. Arrange a few breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them for airflow.
  3. Spray the tops evenly with olive oil or avocado oil spray.
  4. Air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes.
  5. Flip the tenders, spray the second side lightly with oil, and cook for another 5 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  6. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders as needed, avoiding overcrowding the air fryer basket.
Make the Cowboy Butter
  1. While the chicken cooks, combine the mostly melted butter, minced garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika, cayenne or red pepper flakes, dried thyme, additional red pepper flakes, chives, and parsley in a bowl.
  2. Season the cowboy butter with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well and adjust the seasoning or spice level as desired.
Coat and Serve
  1. Transfer the cooked chicken tenders to a large bowl.
  2. Pour the cowboy butter sauce over the hot chicken and gently toss until every tender is evenly coated.
  3. Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, if desired.

Notes

  • Yield: This recipe makes approximately 12 chicken tenders.
  • Cornflake coating: Crush the cornflakes into coarse crumbs rather than a fine powder. The irregular pieces create a crunchier coating.
  • Air fryer batches: Avoid overcrowding the basket. Cook the tenders in batches if necessary so hot air can circulate around each piece.
  • Oil spray: An even coating of olive oil or avocado oil spray helps the cornflake breading become golden and crisp.
  • Food safety: Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving.
  • Buttermilk: Buttermilk may be substituted for regular milk in the egg wash.
  • Seasoning: Cajun seasoning, Kick'n Chicken seasoning, or another preferred all-purpose chicken seasoning can be used.
  • Spice level: The cowboy butter ingredient list contains both 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes and an additional 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Use the recipe as written for a spicy sauce or reduce the flakes to taste.
  • Cowboy butter: Toss the tenders with the sauce just before serving to retain as much of the crispy cornflake texture as possible.
  • Storage: Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
  • Reheating: Reheat the tenders in the air fryer or oven until hot and crisp. The coating will soften somewhat after being tossed in the butter sauce.