These juicy baked chicken tenderloins are fabulous for easy weeknight dinners. They are perfectly seasoned, easy to make, healthy, and always a hit!.
As someone who eats chicken almost daily, I love chicken tenderloins. They cook quickly and can be seasoned with almost any sauce or marinade. My simple chicken recipe uses a mix of Italian seasonings, smoked paprika, and a little brown sugar. It’s great for any meal!
Chicken breast tenderloins, also known as chicken tenders, are a versatile and delicious cut of chicken that can be used in all sorts of recipes. Tenderloins are long, thin strips of meat attached to the underside of chicken breasts. They cook quicker than whole chicken breasts, making them ideal for busy weeknight meals. Chicken tenderloins have a mild flavor and tender texture similar to chicken breasts. Their uniform shape also makes them perfect for breading and frying or threading onto skewers. Read on to discover 20 amazing ways to use chicken tenderloins!
Quick and Easy Meals
Because they cook faster than bone-in chicken pieces or thick breasts, chicken tenderloins are great for making quick dinners during the week. You can make these meals very quickly with tenderloins:
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To make “fried” chicken without the fat and mess of deep-frying, coat tenderloins in oil and breadcrumbs. Then, cook them in the air fryer until they are crispy and golden. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
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Chicken tenderloins go well with vegetables and grains in sheet pan meals. Mix tenderloins with oil and vegetables like potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, or anything else you like. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for a simple one-pan meal.
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Stir Fry: For a quick and healthy dinner, cut tenderloins into small pieces and stir fry them with your choice of vegetables and sauce. Try teriyaki, orange, or sesame ginger sauces.
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Fajitas – Sauté sliced tenderloins with bell peppers and onions Wrap in tortillas and top with guacamole, salsa and cheese for easy chicken fajitas
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Pasta Toss – Boil tenderloins until cooked through, then slice and toss with your favorite pasta, olive oil or pesto, and vegetables for a fast pasta dinner.
Fun Finger Foods
Chicken tenderloins are the perfect size and shape for breading and frying or threading onto skewers for fun finger foods and appetizers. Some tasty ideas include:
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Chicken Strips – The most classic use for tenderloins! Bread with flour, egg, and panko or corn flakes, then fry or bake until golden. Serve with dipping sauces like honey mustard, ranch, or barbecue.
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Chicken Satay – Marinate tenderloins in a blend of soy sauce, peanut oil, garlic, and ginger. Thread onto skewers and grill until cooked through. Drizzle with a peanut dipping sauce.
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Buffalo Chicken Tenders – Bread and fry tenderloins, then toss in Buffalo wing sauce. Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.
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Chicken Poppers – Stuff tenderloins with cheese, jalapeños or other fillings, bread and fry or bake until the chicken is cooked and filling is melted and gooey.
Elegant Entrees
While chicken tenderloins feel casual, you can also use them to make restaurant-worthy main courses for special occasions, like:
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Chicken Piccata – Sauté tenderloins in a pan sauce of lemon juice, capers, white wine, and butter. Serve over pasta or rice.
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Chicken Marsala – Cook tenderloins in a pan sauce of Marsala wine, mushrooms, and herbs. Pair with mashed potatoes or polenta.
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Chicken Parmesan – Bread tenderloins with Italian spices, fry, then top with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Serve over pasta.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu – Stuff tenderloins with ham and Swiss cheese, bread and bake. Make a pan sauce from the drippings for serving.
Global Flavor
The mild taste of chicken tenderloins soaks up flavors from around the world wonderfully. Some globally inspired meals to try include:
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Jerk Chicken – Marinate tenderloins in Jamaican jerk seasoning of chili peppers, allspice, thyme and more. Grill or broil until charred and cooked through.
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Chicken Tikka Masala – Marinate tenderloins in yogurt and Indian spices like coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Cook in a creamy tomato curry sauce.
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Chicken Fajita Bowls – Sauté sliced tenderloins with bell peppers and onions. Serve over cilantro lime rice with beans, cheese, guacamole, and salsa.
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Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Sauté tenderloins in a sweet and spicy Thai sauce with water chestnuts. Serve in lettuce leaf “cups” for a fresh appetizer.
Healthy Eats
Chicken is a lean, low-fat protein that fits well into a healthy diet. Turn tenderloins into nutritious meals like:
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Chicken Salad – Mix diced cooked tenderloins with celery, grapes, and a light dressing for a protein-packed salad.
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Chicken Veggie Soup – Simmer tenderloins in broth with carrots, onions, potatoes and greens for a hearty and healthy soup.
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Chicken Kebabs – Skewer tenderloins and vegetables like peppers, onions, mushrooms or zucchini. Grill or broil for a low-carb dinner.
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Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap – Stuff tenderloins sliced romaine, Parmesan, and Caesar dressing in a whole wheat wrap for an easy healthy lunch.
Family Favorites
Chicken tenderloins make great family meals because they appeal to both kids and adults. Some crowd-pleasing dinner ideas include:
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Tacos – Top warmed corn tortillas with sliced sautéed tenderloins, shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, and more for an easy taco night.
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Quesadillas – Fill tortillas with shredded cheese, tenderloins, and other taco fillings. Grill until the cheese melts for quick quesadillas.
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Chicken Noodle Soup – Simmer tenderloins in chicken broth with carrots, celery, noodles and herbs for the ultimate comfort food.
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Crispy Chicken Sandwiches – Bread and fry or bake tenderloins. Serve on buns with pickles, lettuce and mayo for homemade chicken sandwiches.
Chicken tenderloins are so versatile. You can turn them into everything from fast weeknight dinners to gourmet restaurant-style entrees. Bread, fry or skewer them for tasty appetizers or incorporate them into healthy meals. Their mild flavor takes well to sauces and marinades from around the globe. However you choose to use them, chicken tenderloins are sure to become a kitchen staple!
How to bake chicken tenderloins
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the spice mix. Melt the butter, add spices, and whisk to combine.
Step 2- Season the chicken. Dredge the chicken tenderloins in the butter and place them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Step 3- Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes at 180C/350F.
- With an internal temperature of 165F, you’ll know the chicken is done. Use a meat thermometer to double-check.
- Choose uniformly sized chicken tenderloins. Chicken strips that are cut evenly will cook at the same rate, giving you a consistent result.
- Always dry your chicken. Any water on the surface will be wiped off with clean paper towels, which will help you get perfectly crispy chicken tenders!
- Start with room-temperature chicken. It’s best to take it out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. This ensures uniform internal and external cooking.
- To bread your chicken, mix together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. To make sure everything sticks, dip them in an egg wash.
- Customize the spice mix. Now switch things up and use ginger, garlic, soy, and gochujang to make an Asian spice coating. Or, use garlic, curry, coriander, and red chili powder to make an Indian-style spice mix.
- Marinate with buttermilk. Soak the chicken tenderloins in buttermilk for a few hours instead of butter. The acid in buttermilk will make the chicken fall apart and make it extra juicy!
- Make tenderloin chicken parm. Spread marinara sauce on the chicken after it’s done cooking and top it with fresh mozzarella cheese. Broil until the cheese bubbles, and serve fresh!.
- As a side dish, serve with ranch, honey mustard, BBQ, or ketchup sauce.
To store. Refrigerate leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To freeze. Place cooled leftovers in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat. I toss the thawed or refrigerated chicken on a baking tray and heat it for a few minutes in a preheated oven. You could also heat in a skillet, air-fryer, or microwave (although the microwave could dry out the chicken!).
Sure! Ensure you thaw and dry the chicken entirely before using it.
Why this recipe works
- No breading. With most chicken tender recipes, you need to bread the chicken in some way. For extra juicy, crisp, and tender chicken, all you need is a simple spice mix.
- It’s healthy. Chicken tenderloins are about the same nutritionally as a regular chicken breast. They are high in protein, low in calories, and naturally low in fat. We also bake them in the oven instead of frying them, which gets rid of all the extra oil.
- People always say that chicken tenderloins are overcooked, but my oven-baked chicken tenders always make sure that the chicken is juicy and moist.
- Ready in under 30 minutes. That’s the kind of recipe that you can quickly make during the week when you’re busy.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Delicious. Definitely going to be in our family dinner rotation. Used slightly less sugar and paprika and no chili flakes because of the kids. Still turned out great. Thank you!” – Emily.
- Chicken breast tenderloins. Buy boneless and skinless chicken tenderloins. Almost all grocery stores have these in the chicken section.
- Butter. When I bake leaner cuts of chicken, I like to use butter instead of oil because it crisps up better and tastes better. As we already add salt, opt for unsalted butter.
- Paprika. The sweet heat of paprika goes well with the Italian seasoning.
- Italian seasoning mix. This dried herb mix is just what the recipe needs.
- Brown sugar. Just a little brown sugar will give it a beautiful caramelized look and a sweet, smokey flavor. For example, you can use agave, maple syrup, or honey instead of sugar.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Garlic and onion powder. It gives the chicken tenderloins a great flavor and helps the spices blend together.
- Red pepper flakes. For a bit of heat. If serving to kids, you can skip this ingredient.
Ya Don’t Know Until Ya Dan-O: Blackened Chicken Tenders
FAQ
What are chicken tenderloins good for?
Their small size and tender texture make chicken tenderloins very useful in a wide range of dishes. They are great for quick meals like stir-fries, salads, and tacos, as well as appetizers such as chicken satay.
What can you do with chicken tenderloins?
Best recipes to cook with chicken tenderloins They’re often served whole, crumbed or coated and fried. They’re also great used whole in tray bakes and sauces. Chopped, they’re perfect in everything from curries to pastas, stir-fries to salads.
How to cook chicken tenderloins and keep them juicy?
Place chicken tenderloins in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper; stir to coat. Heat remaining olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken in hot oil and cook, covered, for 6 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken.
What’s the difference between chicken tenders and chicken breast tenderloins?
The truth is, they aren’t wildly dissimilar. You can even use them interchangeably in pretty much any type of chicken recipe. What makes chicken tenders different from breast and tenderloin is that they have more fat and sodium. Apr 5, 2024.