Grilled Chicken Tenders
A favorite with adults and kids — grilled chicken tenders marinated in olive oil, garlic, spices, and lemon juice, then grilled until juicy tender.
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You will love these easy-grilled chicken tenders! Similar to our grilled chicken drumsticks as they are made with mostly pantry ingredients and require minimal prep. Not to mention they are incredibly flavorful!
It’s a family loved recipe that can be whipped up in no time to serve alongside Tomato Cucumber Salad and Cilantro Rice.
These chicken strips are also great for meal-prep recipes like strawberry spinach salad with chicken and spring roll bowl with grilled chicken.
Grilled Chicken Tenders Marinade
The secret to these grilled chicken tenders is the marinade that consists of a delicious combo of dried herbs. It’s an incredibly flavorful combination of mostly pantry ingredients.
You’ll need the following ingredients for the chicken marinade:
- dried parsley
- red chili flakes
- salt and pepper
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh garlic
- honey
- olive oil
To make the marinade, simply combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Toss the marinade with the chicken tenders until evenly coated and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Marinating the chicken will ensure it will be moist and flavorful!
How to Grill Chicken Tenders
For full information on grilling chicken tenders, see the recipe card below.
Preheat the grill on medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates.
Place the chicken tenders on the grill in a single layer. Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear and an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
The cooking time of the chicken tenders will vary with the size and thickness of the tenders.
To Make Grilled Chicken Tenders on the Stovetop: To make chicken tenders on the stovetop, use a cast-iron grill pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Brush the pan with little avocado oil. Add tenders to the pan in a single layer, and cook as directed, 3-4 minutes on each side.
How Do You Keep Chicken Tenders from Drying on the Grill?
Chicken tenders taste tender and moist when cooked properly. Here are two tips to keep them from drying out on the grill:
- Correct temperature. Cooking the chicken tenders on indirect medium-high heat, which is about 375 to 400 degrees F will ensure they don’t overcook. Make sure to clean and oil the grill grates before grilling!
- Invest in a meat thermometer. Chicken tenders vary in size so the cooking time will vary. For larger-size tenders, it’ll take 3-4 minutes to cook on each side. To ensure they are not overcooked use a digital meat thermometer — it should register 165 degrees F.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some ways to serve grilled chicken tenders throughout the week:
- Dip them into your favorite sauce, such as honey mustard, homemade buttermilk ranch dressing, homemade BBQ sauce, or chimichurri sauce recipe.
- Top strawberry avocado salad or quinoa salad with avocado with grilled chicken tenders for a healthy boost of protein.
- Serve the tenders alongside heirloom tomato salad and a cauliflower rice pilaf for a complete meal.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: To store leftover chicken tenders, place them in a closed container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freeze: To freeze cooked chicken tenders, place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
I do not recommend marinating the chicken overnight since the marinade contains fresh lemon juice, which can change the texture of the meat if it’s left to soak for too long. This marinade should be used for no more than 3 hours.
Chicken tenders are thin muscles that are loosely attached underside of the chicken breast and taste exactly as the breast meat.
Yes, you can bake chicken tenders in the oven. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange the tenders in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Orange Chicken
- Spicy Honey Chicken and Sweet Potato Kebabs
If you try Grilled Chicken Tenders recipe, please leave a star rating and review in the comments section below!
Print
Grilled Chicken Tenders
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
Description
Grilled chicken tenders marinated in olive oil, garlic, spices, and lemon juice, then grilled until juicy tender.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper, to taste
- 2 lbs. chicken tenders
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, honey, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Add the chicken tenders and toss to evenly coat. Let the chicken marinate for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat an outdoor gas grill on medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates.
- Place the chicken in a single layer on the grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear and internal temperature registers at 165 F. Cook time will vary with the size and thickness of the tenders. I used larger size tenders.
- Remove the tenders to a plate, cover with foil, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Dried Parsley: Dried oregano or Italian seasoning also works great instead of parsley.
- Stovetop Instructions: Use a heavy-bottom grill pan, such as cast-iron, and heat it over medium high heat. Brush the pan with avocado oil or other high-heat oil. Add tenders to the pan in a single layer, and cook as directed, 3-4 minutes per side.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tenders
- Calories: 219
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 816.4 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Protein: 29.5 g
- Cholesterol: 73.2 mg
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Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
If I use a hot honey in this recipe, should I leave out or completely or somehow adjust the amount of red chili flakes in the recipe? I have some Mike’s hot honey that I would like to try out and it mentions that it is honey infused with chili peppers.
Also, can chili powder be used in place of red chili flakes? I wasn’t sure how similar or different they are.
Thanks for this additional information as I would love to try your recipe!
I’m not sure how it’ll taste with hot honey as a substitute as I have little experience with it. The chili flakes add a slight heat but not too overpowering. Chili powder may work in place.
I am a vegetarian but my husband always has to have chicken and only buys tenders. I was thrilled to find this recipe. It’s so easy and he raved for the first time. No more 14 ingredients receipts for me. I would recommend this recipe many times over. Quick and easy for entertaining a crowd as well.
Awesome recipe and it was a life saver, and also simple.
Always looking for something new and this was a HIT. My family is very picky about our chicken, sometimes chicken tenders are dry. We decided that chicken tenders in our house will always be prepared using this recipe. The chicken was sooo tender, flavorful and juicy!
Thank you! I’m so happy you liked them.
no, did not make because of high sodium content
Another great recipe by Katya! Everything our family has tried so far from her site has been a crowd pleaser. Thank you ????
Thank you Alya 🙂
So, so good!! It’s a must try.