These very flavorful chicken tenders are coated in a tasty mixture of olive oil, honey, and hot sauce, then grilled.
Ready in less than 20 minutes, this ultra-quick recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
I can't help but make chicken often. It's accessible and affordable, and my kids really like it. The grownups, however, do need some variety. This tasty recipe is a good way to make somewhat boring meat into a rather palatable dish.
I make these grilled chicken tenders regularly because they are delicious and very easy to make. The sweet-and-spicy marinade is wonderful. Even the leftovers are good!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty chicken recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
For the marinade, you'll need olive oil, honey, hot pepper sauce, and kosher salt.
If you'd rather use an oil with a high smoke point, you can replace the olive oil with avocado oil. Although olive oil is certainly more flavorful.
You will also need 8 raw chicken tenders (aka chicken breast tenderloins). Their total weight before cooking should be about 1 lb.
Instructions
Making these grilled chicken tenders is so easy! It's actually one of my easiest recipes. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to preheat your grill to medium-high.
Now, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, hot sauce, and kosher salt.
Brush the mixture all over the chicken pieces.
Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side, or a total of 4 minutes in a dual-contact grill such as George Foremen.
Expert tip
While you certainly want the chicken to be cooked through, you also want to avoid drying it out. So keep a close eye on it and check the internal temperature. As soon as it reaches 165°F, remove the chicken from the grill.
Frequently asked questions
If you have time, you can certainly marinate the chicken tenders for an hour in the fridge before grilling them. Marinating them will enhance their flavor.
But you don't have to! I usually simply brush the marinade over the chicken pieces and grill. The chicken comes out perfectly juicy and very flavorful.
This would depend on the grill you use. In my dual-contact electric grill, I grill the chicken pieces for a total of 4 minutes. In a grill pan, you will need to grill them for about 3 minutes on each side.
Either way, to make sure they're ready, check their internal temperature. It should reach 165°F.
Grill it for the shortest time possible. As soon as it's cooked through (its internal temperature should read 165°F), remove it from the grill.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- Use melted ghee instead of olive oil. It's delicious!
- Add spices. Try a pinch of paprika and a pinch of cumin.
- Replace the honey with maple syrup.
- If you like your food truly spicy, add chili powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Serving suggestions
These tasty chicken tenders go well with so many side dishes. They are truly versatile!
I do like to serve them with a salad for the ultimate easy meal. A few of my favorite salads to serve with them are creamy cucumber salad, broccoli salad, and tomato salad.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. I don't like to reheat them though, because reheating dries them out. So I shred them and use them in this chicken cobb salad or in a lettuce sandwich.
If you decide to reheat them, do so very gently, in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.
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Recipe card
Grilled Chicken Tenders
INGREDIENTS
Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce such as Frank's
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon sea salt
Chicken:
- 1 lb. raw chicken tenders (8 pieces)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your grill to medium-high.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, hot sauce, and kosher salt.
- Brush the mixture on both sides of the chicken pieces.
- Grill the tenders until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Their internal temperature should reach 165ºF.
- If using a dual-contact grill, the cooking time will be shorter. I made these in my dual-contact electric grill and they came out juicy and perfect after a total of 4 minutes.
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NOTES
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NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 