Meal time doesn’t need to be boring and these Gochugaru Chicken Tenders w/ Cucumber Kimchi & Gochujang Avocado Dip are anything BUT. They’re seasoning with a Korean chile flakes blend and pork panko. Served with a crunchy and quick cucumber kimchi and gochujang avocado dipping sauce. These are not your average chicken tenders. Little bit of heat and a whole lot of texture and flavor. The best part is they’re AirCrisped in the Ninja Foodi!
The steps.
To start, season your chicken tenders with salt. We are all about layering the flavors and for me, it always starts and ends with a little bit of salt. Then, mix the pork panko, gochugaru Chile flakes and salt in a bowl. Since this is a very fine crumb I chose not to use a binder, like whisked eggs. Simply toss each chicken tender into the mix, pressing firmly to coat evenly.
Next, bake the chicken in the basket of your Ninja Foodi (or Ary Fryer) until crisp and fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. I love the AirCrisp setting because you don’t have to add extra oils or worry about tossing or flipping your food as it cooks. The AirCrisp setting takes care of all the hard work!
The side.
This Cucumber Kimchi side is the best fresh, crisp and cool addition to these chicken tenders. Much like the crunchy celery alongside buffalo wings. To start, salt the cucumbers and let them rest in the fridge. Salting the cucumbers not only seasons and amps up the flavor of this simple and crunch vegetable but it helps remove excess liquid leaving you with a perfectly crisp and crunchy side. Toss with the remaining kimchi ingredients and enjoy the combination of flavors and textures.
The sauce.
What’s a chicken tender without a dip to dunk it in? Here is a combination of a Korean flavored Ranch and Korean flavored guacamole. It’s flavorful, thick in texture and pairs perfectly to brighten the flavors of these Gochugaru Chicken Tenders. It’s a hint spicy but balanced with the acidity of the lime juice. With a quick blitz in the food processor or blender to get the thick and smooth consistency, this dip all about ease. Here is where we are mixing cultures, I’ve topped off the dip with furikake for extra flavor, seasoning and crunch. What is Fruikake? Traditionally Japanese, fruikaka is a dry condiment made of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar and salt. It’s an extra ingredient but it’s SO GOOD!
The leftovers.
Imagine the leftover possibilities and tossing a few of these tenders on a pizza like this Easy Buffalo Chicken Pizza. I’d probably change the flavors around and use gochujang sauce or sriracha on the pizza instead of buffalo sauce but my brain is spinning with the idea! Anyone else already conjuring up ways to use the leftovers before the meal is even made? Well, I’m right there with you!
Looking for more Ninja Foodi AirCrisp recipes?
Here are a few to try:
Lastly, if you make these Gochugaru Chicken Tenders w/ Cucumber Kimchi & Gochujang Avocado Dip, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of dayyyummm good recipes ya’ll have made is my favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup pork panko
- 3 tablespoons gochugaru chile flakes, divided
- 2 pounds ButcherBox chicken breast, cut into tenders
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup scallions, sliced and divided
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce
- 1 tablespoon furikake
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of salt, toss and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large shallow dish combine the pork panko with 2 tablespoons of gochugaru Chile flakes and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Season the chicken tenders with 1 tablespoon of salt and set aside.
- Preheat the airfyer to 375°F.
- Toss the chicken tenders into the panko, coating all sides and shaking of any excess. Lay the strips of panko crusted chicken tenders into the airfare basket in a single layer. Work in batches** as needed. Cook for 11-13 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Set aside and cook the second batch.
- While the chicken is cooking, rinse the cucumbers with water and then pat dry. Toss the cucumbers with 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, sugar and 2 tablespoons of scallions. Set aside.
- In a blender or food processor add the avocado, lime juice and gochujang. Blend until smooth (add a tablespoon of water if need to achieve a smooth consistency). Add the avocado dip to a bowl and
Notes
**I suggest waiting to crust the second batch of chicken tenders just before placing in the airfryer to ensure a crispy crust.
If you do not have an AirFryer you can make these in the oven. Place the prepared chicken tenders on a baking sheet, drizzle or brush each tender with olive oil and bake in the oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Do not crowd the baking sheet to ensure crispy chicken.
Nutrition Information: Serves 4 / 555 cals / 24g F / 28g C / 57g P
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup pork panko
- 3 tablespoons gochugaru chile flakes, divided
- 2 pounds ButcherBox chicken breast, cut into tenders
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup scallions, sliced and divided
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce
- 1 tablespoon furikake
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of salt, toss and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large shallow dish combine the pork panko with 2 tablespoons of gochugaru Chile flakes and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Season the chicken tenders with 1 tablespoon of salt and set aside.
- Preheat the airfyer to 375°F.
- Toss the chicken tenders into the panko, coating all sides and shaking of any excess. Lay the strips of panko crusted chicken tenders into the airfare basket in a single layer. Work in batches** as needed. Cook for 11-13 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Set aside and cook the second batch.
- While the chicken is cooking, rinse the cucumbers with water and then pat dry. Toss the cucumbers with 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, sugar and 2 tablespoons of scallions. Set aside.
- In a blender or food processor add the avocado, lime juice and gochujang. Blend until smooth (add a tablespoon of water if need to achieve a smooth consistency). Add the avocado dip to a bowl and
Notes
**I suggest waiting to crust the second batch of chicken tenders just before placing in the airfryer to ensure a crispy crust.
If you do not have an AirFryer you can make these in the oven. Place the prepared chicken tenders on a baking sheet, drizzle or brush each tender with olive oil and bake in the oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Do not crowd the baking sheet to ensure crispy chicken.
Nutrition Information: Serves 4 / 555 cals / 24g F / 28g C / 57g P
4 comments
So yummy! My family loved these. I love it cause they are super easy to make.
Would be amazing if there was macro break down with calories. Love your content and recepies ??
Not yet, our current web template does not have that option but hope to update soon!
I friggin loved these. For meal prep, I would microwave for 39 seconds and airfry them!