American · lunch, snack
Crispy Low-Carb Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
Video by KetoFocus on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (1.4 g net carbs) but not keto: 56% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
Contains: Egg, Tree nuts. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Ground pork rinds and almond flour replace the flour coating, so a tender has under 2 g net carbs and about 25 g protein, and the dipping sauce is sweetened without sugar.
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Ingredients 14
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Pat the chicken tenders dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. 0:42
- In a shallow dish mix 1 cup of the ground pork rinds with the almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Put the other ½ cup of pork rinds in a second dish, and whisk the egg with the water in a third. 0:59
- Dust each tender in the seasoned mix, dip it in the egg wash and coat it again in the seasoned mix. For an extra-crunchy crust, dip it in egg once more and finish in the plain pork rinds. 2:18
- Lay the tenders in a single layer in the air fryer, spray the tops lightly with oil and air-fry at 180°C (360°F) for about 10 minutes, until cooked through (74°C/165°F inside). 4:33
- While they cook, stir together the mayonnaise, sugar-free barbecue sauce, keto honey and mustard for a Chick-fil-A-style dipping sauce. 4:53
Tip. A serve is one large tender — have two with a salad for dinner. No air fryer? Bake on a lined tray at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes. Nut-free: use grated parmesan instead of almond flour.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion (1 large tender) gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 2%
- Protein 40%
- Fat 58%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Omega-3 High43%
0.7 g a serve, mostly from mayonnaise or avocado mayo (93%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Selenium High40%
22 µg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (71%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High22%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (91%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin B12 Source15%
0.4 µg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (54%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin E Source14%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from almond flour (66%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K Source13%
16 µg a serve, mostly from mayonnaise or avocado mayo (94%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Show the other 9
Magnesium8%
35 mg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (47%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc8%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (61%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Iron6%
1 mg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (54%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Potassium5%
230 mg a serve, mostly from chicken tenders (63%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Calcium3%
34 mg a serve, mostly from almond flour (43%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin A2%
20 µg a serve, mostly from egg (61%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate2%
9.9 µg a serve, mostly from egg (37%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin D1%
0.3 µg a serve, mostly from egg (69%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin C0%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from onion powder (44%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by KetoFocus; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.