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Crispy Air Fryer Pickle-Brined Chicken Tenders Recipe with Easy Comeback Sauce

air fryer pickle-brined chicken tenders - featured image
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Juicy chicken tenders brined in dill pickle juice and cooked to crispy perfection in an air fryer, served with a tangy, creamy comeback sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup dill pickle juice (from jar or bottled)
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup crushed cornflakes
  • Cooking spray or oil mist
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine dill pickle juice, cold water, sugar, and kosher salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. (5 minutes)
  2. Add chicken tenders to the brine, fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  3. In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
  4. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs. In a third dish, combine panko breadcrumbs and crushed cornflakes.
  5. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
  6. Dredge each tender in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip into beaten eggs, then coat with panko-cornflake mixture, pressing gently.
  7. Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 3 minutes.
  8. Place coated tenders in a single layer in the air fryer basket without touching. Cook in batches if needed.
  9. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through and spraying lightly with cooking spray before cooking and after flipping.
  10. While tenders cook, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Chill until serving.
  11. Serve hot chicken tenders with comeback sauce on the side.

Notes

Pat chicken dry after brining to ensure coating sticks and crisps well. Do not overcrowd air fryer basket; cook in batches if necessary. Spray tenders with cooking spray before and after flipping for extra crispiness. Use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The comeback sauce can be made ahead and tastes better after chilling. For gluten-free, substitute almond flour and gluten-free cornflakes. For dairy-free comeback sauce, use vegan mayo and omit Worcestershire sauce or use a vegan version.

Nutrition

Keywords: air fryer chicken tenders, pickle brine chicken, crispy chicken tenders, comeback sauce, easy chicken recipe, quick dinner, southern style chicken

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