What Can You Make with Chicken Tenderloins? 30+ Delicious Recipes to Try

Chicken tenderloins also known as chicken tenders or chicken strips, refer to a specific cut of meat from the chicken breast. Tenderloins are long, thin strips of meat that come from the underside of the breast.

Chicken tenderloins have a few advantages that make them a popular choice for easy weeknight meals

• They cook faster than chicken breasts, usually in 15 minutes or less.

• The meat is naturally tender and juicy without a lot of preparation.

• You can buy tenderloins pre-cut for convenience

• They are budget-friendly and often sold in larger packs.

• Kids love chicken tenders for their mild flavor and easy-to-eat size.

So if you have chicken tenderloins in the fridge or freezer, what delicious meals can you whip up? Here are over 30 recipe ideas to try.

Breaded and Baked Chicken Tenders

The most classic way to cook chicken tenderloins is to bread and bake them into crispy, crunchy chicken fingers or nuggets. They make a quick and easy dinner or snack.

Some easy baked chicken tender recipes to try:

• Southern Fried Chicken Strips – Tenderloins coated in seasoned flour and spices for crispy, irresistible chicken fingers.

• Buffalo Chicken Tenders – Chicken tenders baked with a spicy, tangy Buffalo wing sauce coating. Serve with blue cheese dressing.

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders – For a healthier crunchy version, coat and air fry tenderloins to crispy perfection.

• Bisquick Chicken Tenders – Dip chicken in an egg wash and Bisquick seasoned coating for quick oven-baked tenders.

• Dorito Chicken Tenders – Use crushed nacho cheese Doritos for a flavorful, spicy breading.

• Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders – Coat tenders in a blend of everything bagel seasoning for fun flavor.

• Cornflake Chicken Tenders – Cornflakes make a deliciously crunchy gluten-free breading.

Grilled Chicken Tender Recipes

You can also toss chicken tenderloins on the grill for fast and easy meals. Try these grilled chicken tender recipe ideas:

• Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders – Grill tenderloins and brush with a sweet and tangy honey mustard glaze.

• BBQ Chicken Tenders – Toss grilled tenders in your favorite barbecue sauce.

• Lime Ginger Chicken Tenders – Marinate tenders in lime juice, ginger, and cilantro before grilling.

• Mango Grilled Chicken – Make a bright mango salsa to top grilled chicken tenders.

• Chicken Satay – Skewer marinated chicken and grill, served with peanut dipping sauce.

• Chicken Fajitas – Sizzle up a sheet pan of chicken, peppers and onions for easy fajitas.

Chicken Tenders Salads and Wraps

Chicken tenderloins work great in main dish salads and wraps because they cook fast and stay tender. Some delicious salad and wrap recipes:

• Buffalo Chicken Wrap – Toss buffalo chicken tenders in a wrap with veggies and ranch dressing.

• Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad – Top chopped salad greens with breaded chicken tenders, bacon, egg, and blue cheese.

• Thai Chicken Wraps – Fill wraps with sesame ginger chicken tenders and crunchy slaw.

• Chicken Caesar Salad – Grill or pan-fry chicken tenders and serve chopped on a classic Caesar salad.

• Chicken Fajita Salad – Top salad greens with seasoned chicken tenders, peppers, onions, cheese, and tortilla strips.

Easy Skillet Meals with Chicken Tenders

Thanks to their quick cooking time, chicken tenderloins are perfect for fast stovetop skillet meals. Some easy ideas:

• Lemon Chicken Piccata – Saute chicken in a lemony pan sauce with butter, wine, and capers.

• Chicken Fajitas – Cook chicken with sliced peppers and onions for easy fajitas.

• Grecian Chicken – Saute chicken tenders with tomatoes, olives, garlic and oregano.

• Skillet Chicken Jambalaya – Make a quick chicken and rice jambalaya in one pan.

• Chicken Stir Fry – Stir fry chicken tenders with broccoli, carrots, peppers and teriyaki sauce.

• Chicken Marsala – Cook chicken in a savory Marsala wine mushroom sauce.

Chicken Tenders globally inspired dishes

The mild flavor of chicken tenderloins also shines in globally inspired dishes across cuisines. Try recipes like:

• Chicken Satay – Marinate and grill Southeast Asian chicken skewers.

• Chicken Tikka Masala – Simmer chicken in an aromatic Indian tomato curry sauce.

• Chicken Tacos – Season chicken with taco spices and pile into soft tortillas.

• Chicken Parmesan – Bread chicken cutlets and top with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.

• Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry – Cook chicken tenders with a sweet and sticky teriyaki glaze.

• Chicken Shawarma – Season chicken with Middle Eastern spices and grill.

Kid-Friendly Chicken Tenderloin Recipes

Chicken tenderloins are a popular choice for picky eaters and kids because they are so mild in flavor. Some kid-friendly recipe ideas include:

• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders – Kids love crunchy air fried chicken tenders for dipping in ketchup or ranch.

• Chicken Quesadillas – Fill tortillas with chicken, cheese, and other toppings.

• Chicken Noodle Soup – Simmer chicken tenders in chicken broth with noodles and veggies.

• Breaded Chicken Tenders – Bake classic crispy chicken fingers kids will devour.

• Chicken Nuggets – Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and bread and bake into nuggets.

• Honey Mustard Chicken – Kids love this sweet and tangy saucy chicken. Serve over rice or pasta.

Bonus: Freeze and Reheat Chicken Tenderloins

Chicken tenderloins hold up very well to freezing. You can individually freeze cooked chicken tenders to reheat throughout the week for easy meals.

Some tips:

• Cool chicken completely before freezing to prevent frost burn.

• Place chicken strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.

• Transfer frozen tenders to a freezer bag or container with parchment between layers.

• Reheat frozen chicken tenders in the oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until heated through (time varies based on amount).

• You can also reheat frozen breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer at 400°F for 5-8 minutes for quick crispiness.

Chicken tenderloins offer a versatile and budget-friendly way to put dinner on the table fast. With flavorful sauces, spices, breadings and global flavors, you can transform simple chicken tenders into an exciting menu of meals for the whole family.

Chicken tenderloins are versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes due to their small size and tender texture. They are great for quick meals like stir-fries, salads, and tacos, as well as appetizers such as chicken satay.