Crispy Onion Chip Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken coated in crunchy onion and cheese chips, baked or air-fried to a golden finish.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb chicken tenders (approximately 8 pieces)

→ Onion & Cheese Chip Coating

02 - 2 cups onion-flavored chips (e.g., Funyuns or onion rings snacks)
03 - 1 cup cheese-flavored chips (e.g., cheddar cheese crisps or cheese puffs)

→ Dredging Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tablespoons milk
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Preparation steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F or set the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
03 - Crush onion-flavored and cheese-flavored chips using a food processor or a zip-top bag until coarse crumbs form, then transfer to a shallow dish.
04 - Combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a separate shallow dish.
05 - Whisk the eggs and milk together in a third shallow bowl.
06 - Pat chicken tenders dry using paper towels to ensure coating adherence.
07 - Dredge each tender in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, dip into the egg mixture, then press thoroughly into the crushed chip coating to cover.
08 - Place coated tenders in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet or air fryer basket.
09 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tenders are golden and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
10 - Allow tenders to rest for 2 minutes before serving to retain juiciness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust actually stays crispy hours later, which means leftovers taste almost as good as fresh.
  • Kids who normally turn their noses up at homemade chicken will actually fight over these.
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes from fridge to table, making it perfect for those nights when you're winging dinner.
  • You're basically eating snack food in a socially acceptable way, and nobody questions that logic.
02 -
  • Don't crush your chips too early; they'll lose their crunch sitting out. Do it right before you start coating the chicken.
  • Air frying gives you better crust than baking, and it finishes in ten to twelve minutes instead of eighteen, so invest in one if crispy is your religion.
  • If your coating keeps sliding off, your chicken is too wet or you skipped pressing it into the chips firmly enough.
03 -
  • Crush chips while they're still slightly cool from the bag; warm chips turn to paste instead of crumbs.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, coat all your tenders ahead of time and refrigerate them for an hour so the coating sets before cooking.
Return