Dorito Crusted Chicken in Air Fryer

If you're a fan of crispy, savory, and oh-so-delicious chicken, then this Air Fryer Doritos Chicken recipe might just become your next obsession.

Combining the irresistible crunch and zippy taste of Doritos with succulent chicken tenders, this recipe offers a delightful twist to traditional fried chicken.

Serve these delicious chicken fingers with some ranch or BBQ sauce and you are set for family dinners, a quick lunch, or the perfect game day munch.

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Doritos Chicken Recipe Ingredients

How to Make Delicious Dorito Crusted Chicken in Air Fryer

The prep is very simple. You'll need to crush the Doritos. I start with a little over half a (9.25 ounce) bag, since I have never needed it all.

💭In theory, you can use any Doritos flavor, but I love Nacho cheese so much I haven't tried any others!

You can use a food processor for this, or simply crush the chips in a zip top bag using a rolling pin. I've used both methods with success, but the plastic bag method results in fewer dishes to be washed. 😁

How to remove the tendon from your chicken tenderloins

Another prep step is optional, but I do like to take it whenever I have a couple extra minutes. I prefer to remove the white tendon which runs through each chicken tenderloin.

To do this, use a piece of paper towel to grip one end of the tendon, then use a fork to slide along the tendon, the entire length of the chicken.

It only takes a couple minutes, and you will have perfectly tender chicken fingers, without that sometimes icky tendon. You might end up with some smaller pieces of chicken from this, but they still coat and cook the same.

Coating the Chicken with Doritos

Sprinkle the garlic powder over the surface of the chicken pieces. Coat both sides (top and bottom) of each piece.

Beat the egg slightly in a bowl and place the crushed chips in a separate bowl.

Dip each chicken tender in the egg first, then place in the crushed chips. Press down slightly to help the chips stick to the chicken, then turn it over and coat the other side.

Remove to a plate and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Place the Doritos coated chicken tenders in the air fryer basket. Make a single layer, not touching if possible.

Air fry at 380F for 14-15 minutes. If your air fryer tends to send heat from one direction, you'll want to turn these halfway through the cooking cycle. With my air fryer, I do not flip and they cook and crisp just fine.

Note: I use a Ninja Digital Air Fry Pro Countertop. It has a large flat basket that allows me to spread these out. If your air fryer has a smaller basket, you might need to cook the tenders in batches.

Once the cooking cycle is done, your chicken tenders are ready to serve! Browned and crispy coating filled with the robust flavors of nacho cheese Doritos - these are a guaranteed hit!

Note: remove the chicken pieces straight to a plate. Moving the basket around is likely to result in many chip pieces on the floor!

Serving Suggestions for Doritos Chicken Tenders

These Dorito chicken fingers are quite delightful on their own, but who can resist dipping? Our favorites are ranch and barbecue sauce, but I think a chipotle mayo would be delicious as well. Try your favorite!

If you have a little one in the house, you can make some air fryer dino nuggets alongside these chicken tenders and have a meal that makes everyone happy!

How to Store Air Fryer Dorito Chicken

Leftovers are rare in my house LOL. But if you do have some, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Reheat them in the air fryer for a couple minutes to restore the crunch to the coating.

🤤More Delicious Ideas

If you love Doritos like I do, you'll want to try them in a taco salad, or in Dorito Casserole with ground beef.

Love your air fryer? Try some stuffed chicken breasts or air fryer chicken nachos. You can even use the air fryer to make some apple cider donut holes. That's my kind of appliance!