You can learn how to cook chicken tenderloin six different ways and get perfect results each time.
Whether its in the oven, on the stove, in the Instant Pot, or with the air fryer, once you know how to cook chicken tenderloins you know how to make a WHOLE LOTTA YUM meal in no time!.
Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom to get our popular baked chicken tenders recipe!
Tenderloins of chicken breast are a tasty and flexible food that can be used in many different recipes. They come from the tenderloin muscle under the breast and are naturally juicy and tender. They are also called chicken tenders. If you cook chicken tenderloins the right way, they are always juicy, flavorful, and delicious.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know to make perfect chicken breast tenderloins, including:
- What are chicken tenderloins?
- Buying and preparing chicken tenderloins
- How to cook chicken tenderloins
- Pan frying
- Baking
- Air frying
- Boiling
- Grilling
- Pressure cooking
- Seasoning and flavor ideas
- Serving suggestions
- FAQs
What Are Chicken Tenderloins?
Chicken tenderloins are the tenderloin muscle that is attached to the bottom of the chicken breast. They are long, thin strips of white breast meat that are already soft.
Tenderloins of chicken are sometimes sold with their legs still on the chicken breasts. Sometimes they’re sold separately in bags that say “chicken tenderloins” or “chicken tenders.”
Because they are thinner, chicken tenderloins cook faster than chicken breasts. Because they are so tender, they can also be grilled, fried, air-fried, or cooked in other quick ways.
Buying and Preparing Chicken Tenderloins
When buying chicken tenderloins, look for pieces that are uniform in size and color with no bruising. They should have a fresh smell with no discoloration or sliminess.
It’s best to cook chicken tenderloins when they are still slightly frozen or at least very cold. Letting them sit at room temperature can cause the exterior to cook too fast before the inside is done.
Pat the tenderloins dry before cooking to ensure even browning. Use paper towels to absorb any excess moisture on the surface.
If your tenderloins are still partially frozen, there’s no need to fully thaw them before cooking. The cooking time may just need to be extended by a few minutes.
How to Cook Chicken Tenderloins
There are several quick and easy ways to cook moist, juicy chicken tenderloins.
Pan Frying
Pan frying is a fast and easy way to cook small batches of chicken tenderloins. It results in crispy, golden exterior and tender interior.
- Pat tenderloins dry and season both sides with salt, pepper and other spices.
- Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook tenderloins for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
Baking
Baking is great for cooking large batches of chicken tenderloins evenly.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Arrange tenderloins on baking sheet and brush with oil or melted butter.
- Season as desired.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and crispy.
Air Frying
Air frying makes crispy chicken tenderloins without having to deep fry.
- Toss tenderloins with a small amount of oil. Season with desired spices.
- Air fry at 390°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Boiling
Boiling chicken tenderloins results in moist, juicy meat that is great for shredding in recipes.
- Place tenderloins in a pot and cover with water or chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes until cooked through.
Grilling
Grilled chicken tenderloins have nice charred flavor from the grill.
- Oil tenderloins lightly and season as desired.
- Grill over direct high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
Pressure Cooking
Pressure cooking is a fast hands-off way to cook tenderloins.
- Place tenderloins in pressure cooker and add chicken broth or water.
- Pressure cook on high for 3-4 minutes then allow pressure to release naturally.
Seasoning and Flavor Ideas
Chicken tenderloins absorb flavors well and are versatile enough to use with all kinds of seasonings.
- Lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning
- Southwest flavors – chili powder, cumin, oregano
- Jerk seasoning – allspice, thyme, brown sugar
- Asian flavors – soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger
- Herb butters – parsley, basil, lemon zest
- Barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce as marinade or dipping sauce
Brushing the tenderloins with oil or melted butter before cooking also helps keep them moist and adds flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken tenderloins pair well with all kinds of sides, dips and sauces. Here are some delicious ways to serve them:
- Buffalo chicken wraps with ranch dressing
- Chicken tacos with pico de gallo
- Chicken sandwiches with lettuce, tomato and mayo
- Chicken Caesar salad
- Baked potatoes and green beans
- Honey mustard or barbecue dipping sauce
- Inside pasta dishes like chicken parmesan
Chicken tenderloins are also great for meal prepping. Cook a batch at the beginning of the week to add to salads, sandwiches, wraps or grain bowls for easy lunches and dinners.
FAQs
How do you know when chicken tenderloins are done?
Chicken tenderloins are done cooking when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. The best way to test doneness is by using an instant read meat thermometer. If you don’t have one, look for the meat to become opaque and firm when pierced with a fork or knife.
Can you bake chicken tenderloins from frozen?
Yes, you can bake chicken tenderloins straight from frozen. There’s no need to thaw them first. Just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time and always check temperature.
What’s the difference between chicken tenderloins and chicken tenders?
Chicken tenderloins specifically refer to the tenderloin muscle attached to the underside of chicken breasts. Chicken tenders is a more general term used for thin strips of chicken breast meat that have been cut into strips from the breast.
How long do chicken tenderloins last in the fridge?
Raw chicken tenderloins will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Cooked chicken tenderloins stored in an airtight container will last 3-4 days refrigerated.
Can you bread chicken tenderloins?
Absolutely! Chicken tenderloins are great for breading and frying or baking. Coat them in flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs for crispy, juicy chicken fingers. Adjust cooking time as needed for thicker breaded pieces.
Chicken breast tenderloins are an easy and tasty ingredient to always keep stocked in your kitchen. With proper cooking, they come out incredibly moist, flavorful and delicious every time. Follow these tips for pan frying, baking, air frying, boiling, grilling and pressure cooking tender perfect chicken tenderloins.
How to make Chicken Tenders
We have a ton of chicken tenderloin recipes, heres some of our reader favorites organized by cooking method. Some methods have more than one recipe.
Were giving you an overview of the cooking steps for each, just click on the individual recipe links to get the full instructions, plus recipe tips, and ingredients.
Cooking chicken tenderloin on the stove aka pan fried chicken tenders is a very quick and easy method that will work great for making small batches or for meal prep. Add a seasoning quick by making our blackened chicken tenderloins in a skillet.
If you don’t want to use extra oil, our pan-fried chicken tenderloins are the best way to cook your chicken until it’s juicy and crispy. This is our most popular chicken recipe!.
How to cook chicken tenderloins using the pan fry method is super simple.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry
- Season with your favorite rub
- Cook in a preheated pan for 3 minutes per side.
More skillet ideas: Pan Fried Blackened Chicken Tenders
Another one of our readers’ favorite recipes is for how to cook chicken tenderloins in the oven. This is a great way to make a lot of chicken or feed a lot of people.
Just serve the baked chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauce.
- Set your oven to 400F and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Lay the raw chicken tenders on a baking sheet. Apply olive oil or melted butter to one side of each chicken piece. Give the side that was just brushed with butter or olive oil the chicken rub. Turn the chicken over and brush it with more oil or butter. Sprinkle more chicken rub on the second side.
- Bake the chicken for 10 minutes, flipping it over after 5 minutes if you’d like (but you don’t have to). Keep cooking on the other side until the chicken reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside.
- It is very important to use an instant read meat thermometer to check the chicken’s temperature because ovens cook food in different ways sometimes.
MASTER TIP: Change up the flavor of your baked chicken tenderloins by opting for other seasonings including taco seasoning, lemon pepper, McCormicks spice blends, or just salt and pepper.
Knowing how to cook chicken tenderloins in an air fryer is the BEST way to enjoy tasty low-carb and gluten-free chicken tenders when you don’t want to use bread crumbs or a lot of oil.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Spread oil on your chicken tenders, and then sprinkle or brush the chicken rub on them.
- Press the rub into the chicken meat.
- Air fry for 8-9 mins, flipping after 5 minutes. It’s technically fine to skip the flip with chicken tenders because they are so thin, but we like it.
- Once the food reaches 160F on the inside, take it out of the air fryer basket.
More air fryer ideas:
Perfect for dishes that call for precooked chicken, our boiled chicken tenderloins recipe is ready in just 15 minutes! This easy-to-follow recipe works for both fresh raw or frozen raw chicken tenderloin pieces.
- To boil your chicken tenders, just put 1 pound of fresh tenderloins in a large pot and cover them with water (or chicken stock). Put the lid on top of the pot and heat it up.
- When the pot starts to boil, turn down the heat and let it cook for two to three minutes, or until the chicken tenderloins reach 160F.
- If you are using frozen tenderloins, simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Cooking chicken tenderloins in the Instant Pot is the perfect for fresh or frozen pieces of chicken. We love to buy the large 2.5 lb frozen bags of meat and batch cook them in a pressure cooker.
- Put chicken broth in the bottom of the pressure cooker or instant pot.
- Put chicken tenderloin pieces, either fresh or frozen, inside and cover it.
- Set the Instant Pot for 6 minutes and change the setting to Manual or Pressure Cook, depending on the model.
- After it’s done cooking, let the pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes and then press the button to let the rest of the pressure drop.
- Pieces of pressure-cooked chicken tenderloin are great for making ahead of time, putting in casseroles, or shredding.
Grilling chicken tenders is a quick and easy way to cook them in under 10 minutes, plus you get to be out and enjoy the sunshine.
- You don’t have to marinate the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes before putting it on the grill.
- Brush with oil and season as desired
- Set your grill to high heat and cook the chicken tenders for three to four minutes on each side, or until they are fully cooked, or 160 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside.
All you need is 1-2 simple sides for an easy and healthy dinner everyone will love!
Or, you can use the cooked chicken in any recipe that calls for pre-cooked chicken such as Greek salad, chicken green chili casserole, and chicken bacon ranch soup.
Cooking chicken breast tenderloin (6 Ways!)
In our home, we love chicken tenders! This cut of meat is often cheaper than other chicken cuts and they cook up super fast – often in 10-minutes or less. You can even cook chicken tenderloin pieces from frozen when you need something in a pinch.
