Name: buffalo chicken tenders made in the air fryer (gluten-free)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenders; 3/4 cup blanched almond flour; 2 tablespoons coconut flour (or 1 TBSP cassava flour); 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (dried spice); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 large egg, whisked; 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot pepper sauce (plus more to taste); 1 tablespoon white vinegar; cooking spray

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Make crispy, gluten-free Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders with almond flour in under 30 minutes! Perfect for a quick dinner or game-day snack.

air fryer buffalo chicken tenders

Buffalo Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer make for an easy lunch or dinner on their own, but these spicy, gluten-free tendies are also the perfect topper over an easy side salad, drizzled in dairy-free ranch to make a complete meal. Or a quick caesar salad with some heat!

These buffalo chicken tenders are also a delicious idea if you’re home-gating during football season! Seriously, don’t even tell anyone that these strips are less processed – no one needs to know.

gluten-free almond flour dredge for chicken tenders

What goes into a batch of Buffalo Chicken Strips

Just six ingredients (not including spices) stand between you and a batch of restaurant quality homemade chicken strips. These tenders really are that impressive and tasty.

To keep these crispy, we use an almond flour breading for this recipe.

1 lb chicken tenders.
almond flour. Make sure the only ingredient is almonds and that they’re finely ground.
coconut flour. if you have a coconut allergy, you can swap for cassava flour in this recipe.
dried spices. garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
1 large egg. whisked
Frank’s Red Hot pepper sauce. Can use any red pepper cayenne sauce but Frank’s is our fave.
white vinegar. to give that Buffalo sauce its tangy, unmistakable taste!
cooking spray. for the air fryer basket.

How to make in the air fryer

Make almond flour breading. Start by combining almond flour, coconut flour (or cassava flour), spices, salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine in a shallow dish or bowl. Set aside.
Make egg wash. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk one egg and set aside.
Bread Chicken Tenders. Dip chicken tender into egg wash, then dip into the almond flour breading. Make sure both sides are evenly coated with breading.
Refrigerate. Once all tenders are evenly coated, refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow breading to stick. More on this below.
Air Fry. Preheat air fryer to 350F. Cook 8-10 minutes. Using tongs, flip and cook 2-3 more minutes. Make sure temperature of chicken is 165F. Repeat if making in batches (depending on basket size).
Get saucy. In a mixing bowl, combine Buffalo hot sauce and vinegar. Using tongs, toss breaded, cooked Buffalo Chicken Tenders into hot sauce mixture. Serve immediately.

cooking tip:

Because the almond flour breading is gluten-free on these homemade chicken fingers, I highly suggest refrigerating for 10-15 minutes before popping into the air fryer.

This method works whether you plan to air fry your chicken tenders OR bake them in the oven. No messy, sticky breading if you refrigerate prior to cooking. This is the same method I use when making my almond breaded pork chops and it works every time.

whole30 buffalo chicken tenders air fryer

how to make in the oven

To make these gluten free chicken tenders in the oven, follow the same steps above to dredge, bread and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 370F. Remove Chicken Tenders from refrigerator and add to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 370F degrees. for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Remove from oven and sauce. See more below.

Storage Tips for Buffalo Chicken Tenders

To Store. Refrigerate Buffalo Chicken Tender leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. Wait to sauce until you’re ready to serve, if you’re making these as part of meal prep.
To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in the air fryer at 350 degrees F, in the oven, or the microwave.
To Freeze. Once cooled, store in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or resealable (freezer-safe) bag for up to 3-months. Refrigerate overnight to thaw before reheating.