Chicken tenders are a versatile and delicious cut of meat from the chicken breast. When prepared properly, chicken tenders can be incredibly tender and flavorful. This makes them ideal for frying up crispy chicken strips, grilling juicy skewers, or chopping into bites for stir-fries and salads.
While you can sometimes find pre-cut chicken tenders at the grocery store, it’s easy and affordable to DIY at home. With just a sharp knife, a cutting board, and a few simple techniques, you can turn chicken breasts into perfect chicken tenders in no time.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to cut chicken tenders from chicken breasts like a pro.
Getting Started: Tools and Ingredients
Cutting chicken tenders requires minimal equipment. Here’s what you’ll need:
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Sharp chef’s knife: A quality 8-10 inch knife ensures clean cuts. Sharpen before use.
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Cutting board: Choose a durable plastic or wood board. Keep meat and veggies separate.
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Chicken breasts Boneless, skinless breasts are ideal Pat dry before cutting
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Kitchen shears (optional) Scissors provide an easier alternative to knife cutting.
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace
Clear your work area before cutting raw chicken. Wash hands, cutting board knife and any prep bowls in hot soapy water. Dry thoroughly to prevent bacteria spread.
Cover your cutting surface with paper towels for extra protection and moisture absorption. Have a trash can nearby to discard scraps and wrappers.
Step 2: Position the Chicken Breast
Place chicken breast smooth-side down on the cutting board. The irregular side should face up. Use your hand to gently press down and prevent sliding.
Position your hands safely by tucking fingers under and keeping knuckles raised. This gives stability without fingers in the knife path.
Step 3: Identify the Grain
Look closely at the top of the breast to see the grain direction. You should notice thin lines running lengthwise along the muscle fibers.
Cutting against the grain makes chicken more tender. Cutting with the grain creates chewy, stringy meat.
Step 4: Slice Horizontally
With your non-cutting hand stabilizing the breast, make a horizontal cut across the breast, perpendicular to the grain.
Place the knife tip at the thickest section and slice evenly to halve the breast thickness. Repeat with the second piece.
This strategic first slice gives stability for vertical cuts. Don’t cut all the way through to completely separate.
Step 5: Cut Vertical Strips
Now make vertical cuts down through the chicken, across the grain, to form even strips.
Keep strips uniform in size, around 1 inch wide, for even cooking. Angle knife slightly to separate the meat.
Use smooth, controlled strokes without fully lifting knife. Rocking or sawing motions make ragged edges.
Step 6: Separate Strips
Once vertical strips are complete, finish separating the tender pieces by slicing through any remaining connective tissue.
Inspect strips for any lingering bones or fat and trim if needed. Discard scraps.
Rinse knife and sanitize cutting board immediately to avoid bacterial spread.
Variations and Enhancements
Customize your chicken tenders with marinades, breadings, seasonings, and more:
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Marinate tenders in buttermilk, lemon juice, herbs, and spices for added moisture and flavor.
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Bread tenders in seasoned flour, panko, or cornmeal before frying for a crispy coating.
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Season raw or cooked tenders with garlic, chili powder, paprika, parsley, and other spices.
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Go gluten-free with almond flour, coconut flour, or cassava flour breadings.
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Slice tenders into bite-size pieces for stir-fries, salads, pasta dishes, and more.
Knife Skills and Safety Tips
With raw chicken, safety and technique are key:
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Focus on the task. Don’t get distracted to avoid accidents.
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Cut away from your body, tucking fingers under for protection.
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Use a sharp knife for clean cuts without slipping. Dull knives are dangerous.
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Keep knife perpendicular to cutting board. Angled cuts are risky.
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Never attempt to catch a falling knife. Step back and let it drop.
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Wash hands, knife, cutting board, prep bowls immediately after cutting raw chicken.
Storing and Handling Chicken Tenders
Proper storage preserves freshness and prevents bacteria growth:
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Store raw tenders in airtight packaging in the coldest part of the fridge. Use within 1-2 days.
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Freeze raw tenders in freezer bags up to 2-3 months. Thaw in fridge before using.
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Refrigerate cooked tenders in sealed containers and use within 3-4 days. Don’t freeze cooked chicken.
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When reheating, cook to 165°F minimum internal temperature.
Get Creative with Chicken Tenders
From weeknight dinners to party platters, chicken tenders are endlessly versatile. Some tasty ideas:
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Breaded tenders with honey mustard or ranch dipping sauce
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Buffalo chicken tenders with blue cheese dressing
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Tender skewers with veggies and teriyaki glaze
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Crispy fingers on salad, wraps, subs, and nachos
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Tender bits in pasta, rice bowls, soups, and omelets
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Grilled tenders seasoned with lemon pepper or jerk spice
So grab a pack of chicken breasts and your sharpest knife. With these simple steps for cutting perfect chicken tenders, you’ll enjoy quick, delicious homemade meals any night of the week.
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Skip the flour,egg, crumbs mess. Give tenders with a coat of good mayo (yes, mayonnaise!), dip in crumbs and bake. Also no need for oil drizzle. Works on fish too.
when preparing chicken I like to marinate it in buttermilk for at least a 1/2 hour — excellent tenderizer ! (also, since the chicken is then moist I skip the egg and flour dredge, and go straight for the bread crumbs — panko, parmesan, red pepper flakes — but, thats a different story 😉 )
Toss the panko crumbs with a little olive oil and toast to a golden brown at 425 degrees in the oven before using in the breading process. Will result in beautifully brown and appetizing tenders…without the white /uncooked edges typically resulting from breaded chicken.
I prepared exactly as instructed and the tenders Came out delicious, tender and crispy. I wouldn’t change a thing. This would be fun to do with kids. Let ‘em get a little messy. They would probably have fun.
There are a lot of redundant bowls in the video. To transfer breadcrumbs from one bowl to another is redundant. To put breaded chicken onto a bowl to then transfer it to an oiled parchment paper is redundant – why not put breaded chicken onto parchment right away? The efficiency lover in me cringes at all these extra dishes youd have to wash afterwards! 🙂
Just cooked this tonight. Perfect! I used sour cream for the dip and fresh greens. The smoked paprika lends a nice touch. The chicken tenders were a little thicker than they might have been, so I cooked them for maybe four minutes longer. A lot of prep time, but worth it!Private comments are only visible to you.
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How to Cut Chicken Breast Into Strips, Fingers, Fajitas, Tenders, Slices – Basic Culinary Techniques
FAQ
How to cut chicken breast for chicken tenders?
To maximize tenderness, cut chicken breast lengthwise against the grain. To our surprise, tasters found the thicker slices more tender when cut this way.
Are chicken tenders just cut up chicken breasts?
Chicken tenders are primarily made from chicken breast meat, specifically the tenderloin part, which is a small strip of meat located just beneath the breast. The meat is typically cut into strips, breaded, and then fried or baked.
Can you replace chicken tenders with chicken breast?
Chicken tenders are a muscle that’s right between the breast and the rib cage. It comes off with the breast when you butcher a chicken, and it’s very similar to the breast, though much smaller. You can absolutely use them interchangeably with breasts in any recipe.