Healthier than fast-food versions, thanks to the Foodi™’s AIR CRISP function, this popcorn chicken is on regular rotation in my house. We like to serve it with fries and salad, but it’s also a fun topping for Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese(page 205). Or, scoop the chicken into hoagie rolls for popcorn chicken sandwiches. This is a great meal plan recipe, since it’s easy to portion out. It’s also fun to serve for a game day get-together.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This dish contains the following allergens: Wheat, Milk/Dairy
Cooking mode
Step-by-step instruction without your screen going to sleep
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Utensils
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 6 hours.
Step 2
In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of black pepper.
Step 3
Remove the chicken from the marinade, but keep the bowl with the marinade. Working in small batches, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour, then dunk the chicken briefly in the marinade. Dredge the chicken for a second time in the dry ingredients, fully coating each piece of chicken. Gently shake off the excess flour. Place the coated chicken pieces on a plate while you repeat this step with the remaining chicken.
Step 4
Spray the bottom and sides of the Cook & Crisp™ basket with the cooking spray. Working in batches, place an even layer of coated chicken pieces in the bottom of the basket. Set aside the rest of the chicken. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with cooking spray, then lower the basket into the inner pot of your Ninja® Foodi™.
Step 5
Select AIR CRISP, set the temperature to 370°F, and set the time to 10 minutes. Select START/STOP to begin. After5 minutes, remove the basket and gently shake it to toss the chicken. Return the basket to the pot, close the lid, and cook for 5 more minutes.
Step 6
Cooking is complete when the internal temperature of the chicken reads at least 165°F on a food thermometer and the chicken reaches your desired level of crispiness. When cooking is complete, lift out the basket and transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all the chicken pieces are cooked.
Step 7
Let the chicken pieces cool at room temperature, then portion them into individual containers for the week, along with small containers of dipping sauces. Place salad greens in one of those containers for lunch on day 2, and place a hoagie roll in another for dinner on day 5.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 6 hours.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 2 of 7
In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of black pepper.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 3 of 7
Remove the chicken from the marinade, but keep the bowl with the marinade. Working in small batches, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour, then dunk the chicken briefly in the marinade. Dredge the chicken for a second time in the dry ingredients, fully coating each piece of chicken. Gently shake off the excess flour. Place the coated chicken pieces on a plate while you repeat this step with the remaining chicken.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 4 of 7
Spray the bottom and sides of the Cook & Crisp™ basket with the cooking spray. Working in batches, place an even layer of coated chicken pieces in the bottom of the basket. Set aside the rest of the chicken. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with cooking spray, then lower the basket into the inner pot of your Ninja® Foodi™.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 5 of 7
Select AIR CRISP, set the temperature to 370°F, and set the time to 10 minutes. Select START/STOP to begin. After5 minutes, remove the basket and gently shake it to toss the chicken. Return the basket to the pot, close the lid, and cook for 5 more minutes.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 6 of 7
Cooking is complete when the internal temperature of the chicken reads at least 165°F on a food thermometer and the chicken reaches your desired level of crispiness. When cooking is complete, lift out the basket and transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all the chicken pieces are cooked.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
Step 7 of 7
Let the chicken pieces cool at room temperature, then portion them into individual containers for the week, along with small containers of dipping sauces. Place salad greens in one of those containers for lunch on day 2, and place a hoagie roll in another for dinner on day 5.
0.9kg
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
480ml
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
360g
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
Salad greens, for serving
1 large
hoagie roll, for serving
2 pounds
chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups
milk
2 1/2 teaspoon
paprika, divided
3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups
all-purpose flour
Nonstick cooking spray
Dipping sauces for serving, such as ranch, honey mustard, or ketchup
