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Cajun Air Fryer Chicken Strips

Chicken tenders on a plate with dipping sauce

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5 from 1 review

Crispy Cajun chicken strips made in the air fryer or oven with a cornflake crust. Served with spicy remoulade for dipping.

Ingredients

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Remoulade:

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped dill pickles
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

Chicken Strips:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups cornflakes, crushed into a coarse meal
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt, divided + more for serving
  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 12 strips

Instructions

To make in the air fryer:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the remoulade ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Coat the basket with cooking spray.
  3. Set up 3 shallow bowls, one with the flour, one with the eggs and Dijon mustard and one with the crushed cornflakes and cornmeal.
  4. Distribute the Cajun seasoning, salt and black pepper into each bowl and thoroughly whisk each to combine.
  5. Dip each chicken tender into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the cornflake mixture, thoroughly dredging on all sides, and place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
  6. Coat each tender with cooking spray. Cook in batches in the air fryer for 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway and coating with more cooking spray if needed, until the internal temperature of each strip reads 165 degrees.
  7. Dust the chicken strips with more salt, if desired. Serve immediately with remoulade.

To make in the oven:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the remoulade ingredients. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Fit a wire rack inside a baking sheet and coat the wire rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. Set up 3 shallow bowls, one with the flour, one with the eggs and Dijon mustard and one with the crushed cornflakes and cornmeal.
  4. Distribute the Cajun seasoning, salt and black pepper into each bowl and thoroughly whisk each to combine.
  5. Dip each chicken tender into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the cornflake mixture, thoroughly dredging on all sides, and place on the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders.
  6. Coat each tender with cooking spray. Bake 12- 17 minutes, flipping halfway and coating with more cooking spray if needed, until the internal temperature of each strip reads 165 degrees.
  7. Dust the chicken strips with more salt, if desired. Serve immediately with remoulade.

Notes

Cooking Tip: To reheat, simply place back in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes, until heated through.

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