Air Fryer Ranch Chicken
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With only 4 ingredients, this Air Fryer Ranch Chicken recipe is the perfect start to a delicious meal. Pair this easy recipe with your favorite dipping sauces or use as a salad topping for easy family dinners!
Why you will love this 4 ingredient ranch chicken breast recipe
Juicy chicken with a crispy and flavorful exterior, air fried to perfection in just 15 minutes. What could be better? Thanks to quick and easy air frying and simple ingredients, these ranch chicken tenders turn out perfectly tender every time.
Pair your tender chicken with your favorite dipping sauce (I love this homemade Chick-Fil-A Sauce!) and a batch of crispy fries or a salad for a full meal that’s more affordable and better for you than fast food or fried chicken, but still satisfies all the same cravings!
You’ll love the amazing ranch flavor of these delicious chicken tenderloins, perfect for personal consumption or an easy way feed the whole family.
Ingredients you will need
Chicken tenders: You can buy chicken tenders at your local grocery store, but if you can’t find them you can also slice up some boneless chicken breasts.
Ranch seasoning mix: This is a shortcut ingredient that instantly infuses your chicken tenders with classic ranch flavor. You can also make a homemade ranch seasoning if you prefer.
Parmesan cheese: Pairs well with the ranch and adds a nice cheesy flavor.
Homemade brine: A combination of pickle juice and buttermilk infuses the chicken with flavor, and also helps to break down the connective tissues in the chicken for an extra tender and juicy result!
How to make ranch chicken
- Soak in brine. Though not 100% optional, I recommend marinating the chicken in a pickle juice and buttermilk brine for 1-2 hours to tenderize the meat. This also adds moisture to the chicken to keep it super juicy while cooking.
- Season the chicken. Toss your chicken pieces in a large bowl with the packet of ranch dressing mix, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
- Air fry the chicken. Spritz some cooking spray in the basket and arrange the tenderloins in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 360 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the chicken is golden brown around the edges. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your air fryer and how thick your chicken is.
- Serve and enjoy. Pair with your favorite dipping sauce like buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce or ketchup, or top with ranch dressing and fresh cilantro.
Tip: remove excess moisture from the surface of your chicken by drying it with a paper towel. This allows for better browning and crisping when cooking.
As long as you cook the chicken all the way through it’s perfectly safe to air fry raw chicken.
Because the air fryer cooks by circulating hot air, it prevents the chicken from drying out and helps lock in moisture. Brining the chicken before cooking is another way to ensure perfectly tender and juicy chicken.
I recommend flipping the chicken once during the cooking time. This will promote more even cooking on all sides.
How to store leftover chicken
Leftover chicken tenders can be kept in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 4 months.
How to reheat chicken in the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F and give the air fryer tray a spritz with cooking oil. Place your chicken tenders in the basket of the air fryer and cook for 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway through. From frozen, allow the tenders to thaw in the fridge.
What to serve with air fryer ranch chicken tenders
For a tasty finger food accompaniment to these tenders, pair this air fryer chicken with other delicious recipes like air fryer cheese bites or these air fried banana peppers.
Some other options would be a batch of air fryer radish chips, polenta fries, or a healthy and flavorful side of brussels sprouts with bacon.
If you want a side dish not prepared in the air fryer, give these green beans with bacon a try or this dill pickle pasta salad.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Cajun Chicken and Vegetables
- Air Fryer Doritos Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
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Air Fryer Ranch Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenders
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil spray
Chicken Brine
- 2/3 cup pickle juice
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
For Serving
- ranch dressing
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the Air fryer to 360℉.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pickle juice and buttermilk. Add your chicken tenders to the bowl, and make sure they are completely covered. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- After brining the chicken, drain the brine from the bowl and toss the chicken tenders in olive oil. Then add the ranch seasoning, parmesan, and black pepper. Toss until the chicken is fully coated.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray or line it with Air fryer parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place the seasoned chicken tenders on top and spray with olive oil. Then air fry for 8 minutes, flip and cook for another 6 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Top with ranch dressing and chopped cilantro before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
What kind of pickle juice do you use?
Such a good idea to add ranch seasoning and serve it with ranch dressing
The chicken came out perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with the ranch seasoning adding a delightful burst of flavor. It’s now a go-to recipe for quick, delicious dinners that everyone in the family loves!
I love how easy this ranch chicken was to make. It came out very flavorful and juicy in the air fryer. My family loved it!
So simple and easy to make, but so tasty! We had them on top of a big salad and loved them.
This Air Fryer Ranch Chicken is delicious! It’s easy to make and full of flavor. A perfect addition to our dinner rotation. Thank you!