30 Chicken Tenderloin Recipes That Are Quick And Easy

This list of chicken tenderloin recipes will help you to solve the age old dilemma: what are you going to have for dinner?

Read on for lots of different recipe ideas that include the tender and versatile chicken tenderloin!

What Is A Chicken Tenderloin?

If you’re like me, you thought you knew exactly what a chicken tenderloin was, but in reality, you didn’t really know. A chicken tenderloin refers to the muscle on a chicken located underneath the breastbone.

Usually, the tenderloin is long and thin and is about half the size of a regular chicken breast. Unsurprisingly, the tenderloin gets its name because it is an exceptionally tender part of the chicken.

This is because the tenderloins are usually harvested from the chickens when they are relatively young. 

A lot of people don’t realize that the tenderloin is a part of the bird, instead it is believed that it is just a phrase used to describe tender chicken. 

Each bird has two tenderloins and this part of the chicken is not just deliciously tender, it is also very high in protein.

Chicken tenderloins cook very easily and quickly as they are small in size. Due to their speedy cooking time, they make dinner preparation very quick and easy!

Chicken Tenderloin Vs Chicken Breast

You may be wondering what the difference between a chicken tenderloin and a chicken breast is. Chicken breasts are a lot larger than tenderloin, and they are a lot more bland and less tender than the tenderloin.

You may be tempted to substitute the tenderloin for a chicken breast, but these two parts of the chicken have very different textures and tastes. Stick to the tenderloin for these recipes! 

The cut of a chicken breast is often more tough due to the muscles in the bird. Chicken tenderloins are less tough, meaning they are much more soft and juicy than the breasts. 

As well as this, chicken tenderloins are known to have a natural flavor that a chicken breast doesn’t have. Chicken breasts rely more on seasoning. 

Having said this, the chicken tenderloin does have less nutritional value than the breast. Chicken breast is filled with vitamin D, B6, calcium and zinc as well as many others.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

This recipe is absolutely delicious and makes restaurant standard chicken tenders! They are quick and easy to make, with a 20 minute prep and cooking time. This particular recipe serves 4.

These buffalo chicken tenders are slightly spicy – adding some excitement to your evening meal. This spice comes from the delicious homemade sauce made from a mixture of different ingredients.

These tenders are great served with the blue cheese dipping sauce, which not only takes these chicken tenders to another level, it also makes them look the part. 

Pineapple Chicken Fajitas

These fajitas are great if you like a sweet flavor with your fajitas. The chicken and pineapple complement each other fantastically.

If you love the pineapple flavoring of these fajitas, you should add some more pineapple as a topping, or add a fruit salsa to the dish. A peach salsa goes very well with this dish.

This dish recommends using coconut oil, however, if you don’t have this on hand you should use vegetable oil instead. 

Thai Peanut Chicken And Noodles

This meal is similar to a pad Thai, but it is a lot easier to make. You can swap out the rice noodles in this recipe with any other type of egg noodles – add in whichever you prefer.

This meal only takes 30 minutes to make and it is full of fantastic flavors. The soy sauce flavors the noodles really well.

If you don’t have the molasses, then you can substitute this with the same amount of honey or brown sugar (see also ‘10 Best Sugar Substitutes For Baking‘).

Chicken Piccata Pockets

These chicken piccata pockets are delicious, and slightly different from the usual ways to use chicken tenderloins. These are great served in a puff pastry pocket, served with some cream cheese to finish off the dish.

If you have made a few of these pockets, they can be frozen and stored for when you want a quick meal. Simply freeze them on a tray, and then transfer them to a tupperware box when they have been frozen. When you are ready to use them, simply bake them by adding an extra 5 minutes onto the baking time. 

Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

There is nothing quite like the garlic and chicken pairing. These chicken tenders can be made in under 15 minutes and they are super simple to make.

All you need is the chicken tenders, some butter, garlic and spices. Mix this all together on a skillet and voila!

Your garlic butter chicken tenders are ready to be eaten. They are great when cooked with some lemon slices to add some extra flavoring. 

Chicken Tenderloins And Garlic Pasta

This one is an all round winner, and everyone in the family will love it! Everyone loves pasta and this crispy parmesan chicken pasta is no exception. With the parmesan giving this dish a bit of extra oomph, you really can’t go wrong.

This dish is very simple and quick to prepare, making it perfect for weeknight meals. This dish is also very cheap to make, and so is great if you are sticking to a budget.

You will likely have a lot of the ingredients in your cupboards already which is another win for this dish.

Grilled Chicken Salad

This dish is filled with healthy and delicious ingredients that really complement each other in a salad. This salad is also very eye-catching due to the layered effect and the great colors that are present.

The combination of grilled chicken and vegetables is fantastic. This dish takes around 30 minutes to prepare and it works great as its own dish, as well as a complement to a meal.

If you don’t have all of the ingredients listed here, you can always make some substitutions.

Mango & Grilled Chicken Salad

While we’re on the topic of salads, this is another fantastic chicken salad that you should try out! This crunchy and colorful sweet salad is great for hot weather, and the veg and chicken are full of vitamins and proteins that are essential for our health.

This dish is fantastic and it has a very short prep time. It doesn’t take very long to prepare, and it will be ready and on the table in less than 25 minutes! 

Golden Chicken Tenders

This dish is a popular favorite when it comes to chicken tenderloin recipes. It is quick and easy, and it brings with it some excitement to your meal times.

These chicken tenders work well served with rice and spinach and some cranberry sauce. Complimenting the chicken with a sweet flavor is a common theme throughout all of these recipes, and it is popular for a reason! 

Bacon Chicken Tenderloin

Why not add another one of our favorite things to our chicken tenderloin? Bacon! This recipe is fairly simple. Wrap your chicken tenderloin in a strip of bacon and top with chicken soup and a cup of sour cream.

Simply bake this in the oven for a while and voila, you have a delicious addition to your Sunday roast. This takes quite a while to bake, as it needs to be in the oven for at least 4 hours. However, there isn’t much prep time involved in this recipe.

This recipe creates the most tender of chicken tenders due to the long cooking time. The bacon-chicken combination is really something.

Baked Chicken Tenders

This is a healthy option, which doesn’t include any bread. The chicken is also baked in this recipe, meaning no oil or butter is used in the cooking process.

All you need for this dish is 3 simple ingredients and around 20 minutes. In this time, you can create a meal with chicken tenders that is both healthy and delicious!

They are great served with a salad for an extra health kick, or some rice if you are looking for a more substantial dish.

Crispy Sage Chicken Tenders 

These sage crispy chicken tenders are great. They don’t need very many ingredients, so give them a try and see if they’re a family favorite! These chicken tenders take around 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

They are great served with chips, rice or salad. This dish actually goes well with sweet potato fries, something that compliments all of these chicken dishes. 

Tuscan Chicken Tenders With Pesto

This dish is very aesthetically pleasing, with the golden breaded chicken bites and the green and red pesto sauce. The pesto sauce adds a splash of color and looks great served in a dipping bowl next to the chicken.

This dish can be enjoyed warm or cold. These tenders are very easy to make and the pesto sauce adds a different flavor to the dish. 

BBQ Chicken Tenders 

It’s surprising that this is the first BBQ flavored chicken tender on the list. BBQ flavorings go so well with these chicken pieces.

This dish has an Asian influence on top of the BBQ flavors, due to a BBQ rub that is added to the dish made from Chinese five-spice.

The chicken in this dish is baked, making it a lot healthier than the friend alternatives. This recipe serves four and is fairly easy to make. The BBQ flavoring is loved by everyone.

Sweet And Sour Chicken Tenders 

This dish is best served with rice, and it has a delicious sweet and sour taste. This dish is a bit more fiddly to make, as it requires you to make the sweet and sour sauce that coats the tenders.

It is definitely worth the hour prep and cooking time, though! Whoever you serve this dish to will absolutely love it! The sweet and sour flavor is loved by many, and using it on your chicken tenders is revolutionary.

Children and adults alike will love this dish, and you will also pick up the all important skill of learning how to make a sweet and sour sauce. This is a transferable skill! 

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders 

If you have an air fryer, then this dish is one you 100% have to try out! These chicken tenders are so juicy and delicious and they cook in no time. This chicken is great served with some tomatoes and zucchini.

Because they are so easy to make, they are great to have when you don’t have much time to cook. Cooked in an air fryer, the chicken crisps up a lot more with very little oil compared to when it is fried. This means that it is a healthier alternative. 

Lime-Ginger Chicken Tenders

This dish is high in protein and very low in fat. The flavors in this recipe are fantastic, and the jalapenos really make the dish pop. The flavors on this dish are a great twist on the usual tenders you buy from the store.

These are great served with rice or mashed potatoes. Add some salsa to the dish to add some extra flavoring. 

Sausage Chicken Jambalaya 

This dish goes down a treat when you are making a meal for a large number of people. This recipe gives you instructions on how to make enough for 9 people.

It is full of flavor, easy to make and great when you are making dinner for a large number due to its one-pot nature! You can put this dish in the middle of the table and allow everyone to serve themselves for a relaxed dinner party vibe.

This is a very warming meal due to the spice that is added to it, making it a great dish for the winter. 

Honey Garlic Chicken

This dish is super quick to make, taking only 15 minutes! The chicken tenders in this dish are smothered in a delicious sauce that will rival any restaurant chicken tenderloins.

This sauce is made from honey, hot sauce, garlic and soy sauce. It is an absolutely great dish, and a family favorite.

You will likely have all the ingredients for this dish already in your pantry! This dish is great served with Jasmine rice (see also ‘Basmati Vs Jasmine Rice‘).

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

These parmesan chicken tenders are cheesy and delicious. They are great topped with a sauce and mozzarella. This dish is great for kids and adults and it is great to have a dish that everyone loves.

This will save you having to cook different meals for everyone. This dish is very easy to customize, meaning you can tailor the dish to your preferences and the preferences of your family. 

Marinated Baked Chicken

This dish is very easy to make, and will be loved by all the family. Because the chicken is baked, it is a healthy version of chicken tenderloins.

It requires very little preparation, all you will need to do is prepare the marinade. This dish is great served with your choice of rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, salad or steamed vegetables.

This meal can be as simple or as fancy as you’d like to make it, so get creative! 

Baked Chicken With Bacon And Tomato Relish

You only need 30 minutes until you can have this dish on the table. This chicken dish is crispy and flavorful. The relish that you serve with the chicken complements the meat very well.

The dish is very healthy, as you don’t need to fry the chicken. When the chicken is baked, it doesn’t require any oil with it. The addition of bacon to this meal is great and you really can’t go wrong!

Grecian Chicken

This dish is filled with delicious Greek flavors. It is easy to make and the olive, tomato and capers will convince you that you are on a Greek island somewhere.

This chicken is great served with rice for an easy weeknight meal. It is quick and easy to make and is a great dish to serve to your friends at a dinner party. You won’t get any complaints with this one!

Plum Chicken Tenders

These plum chicken tenders are great if you like to add some sweetness to your dishes. This quick and easy dish is great served with rice or pasta, and the flavors in the dish are great.

This meal is one of those that can be cooked in under 15 minutes! Adding the plum in with the chicken gives this dish an edge, and the sweet flavors like this in savory dishes are so often overlooked.

Not this time! This dish is delicious and stands out from the crowd.

Dinner Poppers 

This dish is great and very different from the rest of the recipes on this list. This dish includes stuffed peppers with chicken and bacon. The flavors in this dish are delicious.

While the prep time is longer than some of the recipes on this list, it really is worth it. You can choose from the different types of peppers and tailor this dish to your specific taste.

It is filled with vegetables as well as delicious flavors and so is a great all-rounder dish. 

Naked Chicken Tenders

These tenderloins are super easy to make and full of flavor. Chipotle and ranch give this chicken a delicious edge to the other recipes on this list. This is one the whole family will love. 

Spicy Chicken Tenderloin Salad

We will finish off the list with one last salad. This recipe works well for lunch or dinner. It is fresh and flavorful but not overpowering.

You can substitute some of the ingredients if you wish. This is a popular dish and it makes that healthy salad all the more interesting! 

Pan-Seared Chicken Tenderloin 

This dish is great, easy to make and very popular. It is filled with spices and flavorings that set it aside from other chicken tenderloin dishes.

This is a very healthy and low calorie dish, providing plenty of protein. It is great served with steamed vegetables and some rice. 

Crispy Deep Fried Chicken Tenders

This deep fried chicken recipe is delicious when served with a sweet chili sauce or a staple ketchup. You will only need to deep fry the chicken strips for 6-12 minutes depending on the size of the piece of chicken.

The thicker they are, the longer they will take to cook through. It is very important that the chicken is fully cooked all the way through.

When you are making this dish, be sure to marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes to ensure that it is nice and tasty. You can make the chicken strips into any size or shape you wish. 

Restaurant Style Chicken Tenderloin 

This dish is great served alongside rice and corn. Zucchini also goes well with this dish. It is very simple and quick, with your chicken getting its delicious flavoring from a simple and quick marinade. 

What To Serve With Chicken Tenderloins 

Lots of the recipes above give indications of what they are served well with. However, some of them just show you how to cook and flavor the chicken, without giving an idea of how to make the dish into a meal. 

Lots of the chicken tenderloin recipes above would go with anything on the side. Whether you want to serve your tenderloin chicken with fries, baked beans, rice or potatoes, these dishes will work well with any of them! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Commonly Used Are Chicken Tenderloins?

Some households cook using chicken tenderloins at least once a week. They are great to cook with as they are loved by the whole family, very easy and quick to prepare and can be used in so many different ways! They are very easy to cook up a batch of to store in the fridge or freezer, too. 

What Is The Average Preparation Time For Chicken Tenderloin Dishes?

Most of these recipes can be completed in under 30 minutes. There are a couple of recipes on this list that take under 15 minutes to prepare and make.

This is why chicken tenderloin is such a popular and great dish to make on a weeknight when you don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen! 

To bake a chicken tenderloin, you should expect to cook them for around 10 minutes on each side. You need to ensure that you are cooking the chicken all the way through or it can cause food poisoning. 

Are Chicken Tenderloins And Chicken Breast The Same?

No, there are lots of differences between the chicken breast and the chicken tenderloin. Chicken breast is not as tasty and is more chewy, whereas chicken tenderloin is very tender and full of natural flavors.

The chicken breast relies more on the spices and flavorings to make the dish delicious, whereas chicken tenderloin has more of a natural flavor.

The two types of chicken come from different parts of the bird, and they are cooked in different ways. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re hungry, have a go at some of these delicious chicken tenderloin recipes and see which ones you enjoy the most. These dishes are great for the family and everyone will enjoy the delicious flavors in each and every one of these recipes.