Who doesn’t love some crispy chicken tenders when they want an easy weeknight dinner? I take the ultimate comfort food recipe and make it healthy and low carb! The combo of almond flour and parmesan really give this keto chicken tenders recipe so much flavor. I give easy to follow instructions for your air fryer or oven baked!
I love chicken tenders, but I am not a fan of any store bought varieties. Plus, they aren't ketogenic diet friendly. That's why when I really want some chicken tenders, I bust out my almond flour and parmesan cheese and make my own delicious keto chicken tenders. They are the ultimate easy recipe for picky eaters on the keto diet and I love that the recipe uses simple ingredients.
Let me tell you the best things about these low carb keto chicken tenders...there is no frying, no bread crumbs, and they are only 3g net carbs! The kid in you is craving chicken strips and now it is time to get in the kitchen! The whole family will enjoy this recipe! You may also want to checkout my post for Family Friendly Keto Meals for Picky Eaters.
I give instructions for using the air fryer or the oven. I have to say I really prefer the air fryer because it give me juicy chicken and I'm able to get a nice color on my chicken tenders without over cooking them. Find more of my air fryer recipes here.
Ingredients needed
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this easy keto chicken tenders recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For a printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
8 - 12 chicken tenders - You can also use a whole chicken breast and cup it up into strips.
½ Cup almond flour & ½ cup parmesan cheese (the powder kind) - this combined with the seasonings will be the dry mixture for the gluten free chicken tenders breading.
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teapoon garlic powder
1 teapoon Mustard Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Large Eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons water
How to make the best keto chicken tenders
This section explains how to make this almond flour chicken tender recipe recipe, step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
- In a shallow bowl, combine eggs and water to make an egg wash. Whisk until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, mustard powder and thyme. Making sure to stir to combine ingredients well.
- Dip chicken in the egg mixture and then into your almond flour. Set aside on a baking sheet and continue this process with each strip/tender.
keto air fryer chicken tenders:
- Spray the inside of your air fryer with cooking spray or line with foil and spray the foil. Place breaded strips into air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray the tops of your chicken with a little bit of cooking spray. This will help them get really crispy and golden brown. Cook chicken at 425F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you air fryer will not go as high as 425F, put it at the highest temperature.
Oven baked keto chicken tenders:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. You can also use parchment paper. Place your breaded chicken on baking sheet, spray the tops with cooking spray, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Dipping sauces: There are a variety of dipping sauce options you can use for your keto chicken strips. I like to use BBQ sauce, hot sauce, ranch dressing (checkout my 24 calorie Greek Yogurt ranch), buffalo sauce, or keto honey mustard.
Pro tip:
- Zero carbs option - substitute the almond flour and parmesan mixture with pork panko or pork rinds ground in a food processor for extra crunch. That's what I use for my keto chicken nuggets. I would not recommend coconut flour.
- You can use chicken tenderloins or whole chicken breasts to make your keto chicken fingers. Chicken breasts would just need to be cut into strips.
- The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken tenders. Cook until the internal temperature is at least 165F.
How to remove the tendon from a chicken tenderloin
That tendon in a chicken tenderloin is one of the reasons why I buy chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders for any chicken tender dish. That is until I learned this trick! Use it for best results!
The tendon is usually hanging out of one end of the chicken tenderloin. Grab the tendon firmly with a small piece of a paper towel and place the tendon between the tines of a fork. In one motion, pull the tendon up with one hand and push the fork down with the other hand. This will pull the tendon right out.
Side Dish suggestions:
- Keto Coleslaw
- Crack Green Beans (Green beans with bacon!)
- The Ultimate Cheesy Cauliflower
- Loaded Cauliflower Rice Casserole
- Delicata Squash Fries
More keto chicken recipes:
- Keto Coconut Chicken Curry
- Air Fryer Naked Chicken Tenders
- Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
Keto Chicken Tenders - Air Fryer or Oven!
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Ingredients
- 2 Large Chicken cut into strips or 8 raw Chicken Tenders
- ½ Cup almond flour (see my favorite on Amazon)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (the powdered kind)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teapoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teapoon Mustard Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 2 Large Eggs, beaten
- 2 Tablespoons water
- avocado oil or olive oil spray
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, combine eggs and water. Whisk until combined. In another shallow mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, mustard powder and thyme. Making sure to stir to combine ingredients well.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then into your almond flour. Set aside on a baking sheet and continue this process with each strip/tender.
Air fryer:
- Spray the inside of your air fryer with cooking spray or line with foil and spray the foil. Place breaded strips into air fryer basket. Spray the tops of your chicken with a little bit of cooking spray. This will help them get really crispy. Cook chicken at 425F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you air fryer will not go as high as 425F, put it at the highest temperature.
Oven:
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Place your breaded chicken on baking sheet, spray the tops with cooking spray, and bake for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Instead of the almond flour and parmesan mixture, you can substitute with pork panko or ground pork rinds.
- Store your leftover delicious chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.
Jessica says
These were so good! My kids loved them!