Grilled chicken tenders are the best for your busy weeknights. Simply marinate and grill or bake in your oven. Tender and juicy each time.
These chicken tenders can be made and ready in 30 minutes or marinate and keep in your fridge for up to 5 days. Perfect for meal prep or when you don’t feel like cooking. I’ve been making these tenders bi-weekly and made them several times on our gatherings. Everyone loves them and I am sure you will to.
Here is what you’ll need
Notes about the ingredients:
- Chicken tenders: for this recipe, we will need 1 and a half-pound. This is enough for 4 servings feel free to double or triple.
- Brown sugar: to tenderize, boost flavor and it helps with browning. This will give the chicken a faint hint of sweetness. If you double the recipe do not double the brown sugar just add 1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- Soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce: to provide tangy, savory, sweet, and salty balance.
- Garlic: is the basic flavor here, you’ll notice it with every bite.
- Smoking liquid: for the smoking flavor. If you do not have it feel free to skip.
- Spices and olive oil: we are talking basic spices here like salt, black pepper, and paprika for color too. Olive oil is added to bring all the flavors together. You might want to play with the flavors more after you’ve made the recipe once or twice. Like adding Italian seasoning, baharat, allspice, or any spice mix of your own.
How to make grilled chicken tenders?
- Simply mix the marinade ingredients in a deep bowl.
- Add the chicken tenders.
- Mix everything well to coat, cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Grill outdoor, indoor, or bake in the oven.
Chicken tenders
Chicken tenders are much loved in my home. My kids love them and when my in laws are here they only eat chicken tenders. They are very easy to chew on, cooks quickly and always comes out so juicy and flavorful. We very much prefer them over chicken breasts.
I’ve had this recipe written in my cooking notebook and I actually do not remember when or who gave it to me. But it was a true pleasure discovering it hidden there two years ago and since then it has become our family favorite.
What are chicken tenders?
Chicken tenders are these little strips of meat found underneath the breast. This cut of chicken is similar in location to beef tenderloins. They taste exactly as the chicken breast but they are smaller and more tender. Chicken tender dish also known as chicken strips, refers to deep fried battered chicken dish that kids and adults love. I have used them also before in my low carb chicken parmesan recipe.
How long to marinate chicken tenders?
I lost count of how many times I have made these for family and friends. Many times I prepare them ahead of time for up to 5 days in the fridge so they are a very good candidate for meal prep. So bottom line is these can stay anywhere from 30 minutes and up to 5 days in your fridge.
How to grill chicken tenders on the stove?
I prefer the outdoor grilling, but this is not always available especially in winter days. For those times, you can use a grilling pan. Simply heat the pan on your stove top the grill the chicken 4 minutes on each side.
Oven instructions
If you want to make them in the oven simply place the chicken tenders on an oven grilling. Bake in a 450°F preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until tenders are no longer pink and the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Recipe Notes:
- I’ve used all sorts of chicken cuts with this recipe, still our favorite is the tenders. This recipe works great with boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well. I’ve also tried bone in chicken but it will definitely take longer to cook.
- This recipe is perfect for meal planning. Place in a plastic bag or container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- The recipe in my notebook had an additional 2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce. I do not usually have it in my fridge so I skip it. If you have it sitting in your fridge you might want to try it. It gives a nice sweet and tangy taste to the chicken.
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Grilled chicken tenders
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce.
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar. Note1
- 1 teaspoon paprika.
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic.
- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon salt or to taste. I am using pink salt.
- 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke optional.
- 1/4 cup olive oil.
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders. Note2
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the first 9 ingredients and mix well.
- Add the chicken tenders and toss well to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Note3
- Grill on an outdoor grill or on a grilling pan on stove top 3-4 minutes each side.
- Put the chicken on a clean plate, and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil, let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Oven directions:
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Place tenders on a grilling pan or on an elevated rack placed on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes until done. Turn on the broiler if you want it more browned.
- Put the chicken on a clean plate, and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil, let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
This was very tender and tasty. My 6 years old had two which is very unlike her.
This is awesome!. Thanks Chery for your comment. I am happy you liked it.
Made the recipe as is for a 4th of July family gathering and it was amazing. Everyone kept asking for the recipe. Couldn’t be happier.
Thank you Abeer, I am happy you liked it.
Most people have a kind of friend whom when you were invited to,you will definitely ask for one or two of her food’s recipe. This is like Amira (skipping the eating of her food part). I would trust and follow her recipes and I know my family will enjoy what I cooked.
Jazakumullahu khairan Amira.
more power (and recipes)!
Thank you so much Zaina for your sweet comment, you are such a wonderful person and I hope one day we could actually meet up :). Jazana wa eyakom dear.
I have recently begun to cook way more than before, and even though I’m finding and loving lots of new things, chicken breasts/tenders remain my all time fave! So thanks so much for this recipe! I’m always looking for a different way to prep chicken and this sounds absolutely amazing—can’t wait to try it!
Thank you so much Randa, my kids used to love thighs but they are shifting more and more to breast and especially tenders. let me know how it went with you.