Chicken Parmesan And Spaghetti Dinner
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
This is an easy chicken parm and spaghetti dinner to prepare, and you can modify the kind and amount of cheese you use . Use a jar of store-bought marinara sauce, or feel free to make your own. If you’re short on time, use seasoned fine dry bread crumbs and some grated Parmesan for the coating.
Sour Cream And Bacon Smothered Chicken
These Smothered Crack Dip Chicken Tenders are a new favorite at our house. You MUST add them to your menu ASAP. This is crazy good! Chicken smothered in sour cream, ranch, bacon, cheese, and fried onions. We ate this for dinner and fought over the leftovers! LOL! This dish is super easy to make. I had it ready to bake before my oven was preheated. I used chicken tenders and this was on the table in 30 minutes! Perfect for hectic weeknights!
What does Crack mean? If a recipe has crack in the title it means that it has cheddar, bacon, and ranch in the recipe. It all started with my Crack Dip way back in 2007. I made the dip for a Titans football game. Everyone went crazy over it. We couldnt stop eating it and said it was like crack. The name stuck. The flavor combination is amazing. This chicken is no exception.
What Is The Difference Between Chicken Tenderloins And Tenders
Tenderloins are from a specific section of the chicken breast. This cut is located under the breast and is actually a thin muscle. It doesnt get much exercise, hence the tenderness of the meat.
Chicken tenders can either be made with tenderloins or are pieces of the actual breast itself cut into strips. These breast meat cuts dont get quite as juicy or, well, tender, as true tenderloins.
You can use either tenderloins or chicken breast strips to make this recipe!
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More Ways To Cook Chicken Tenders
This recipe is geared for the grill, but its certainly not the only way to prepare them.
- Use a Grill Pan on the Stove. Use a grill pan like this one, and heat it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Brush the pan with oil, then grill the chicken tenders as directed.
- George Foreman. If you have one of these handy appliances, its an easy option. Preheat the grill for about 5 minutes . Grill the tenders in a single layer for about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Use a Skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken tenders in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
- Use the Oven. For baked chicken tenders, cook them on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
What Can You Serve With Chicken Tenders
If youre trying to figure out what to make with chicken tenders, just think about it like this. Anything you would make with baked chicken, fried chicken, grilled chicken, or roasted chicken is also delicious with a chicken breast tenderloin.
Chicken tenderloin is delicious in all types of cuisine, so they lend themselves beautifully to everything from BBQ sauce to teriyaki sauce.
Here is a shortlist of what to make with chicken tenderloins:
- French fries
- Waffles
- Coleslaw
- Rice dishes
Are you ready for the best list of easy chicken tenders recipes? Lets dive in and discover 26 amazing chicken tender recipe ideas.
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Sweet And Sour Chicken Breasts
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
A tasty tropical sauce highlights this easy, great-tasting sweet and sour chicken dish. This chicken recipe is made in just minutes in the skillet, and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. Ready in about 30 minutes, serve on top of cooked rice or Asian-style noodles.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Since theyre so much bigger, chicken breasts are usually cheaper than tenders.
So, if youre feeding a crowd, it might be worth buying breasts and just cutting them to size.
If youre worried the tenders will come out dry if you use chicken breast, try making a super simple brine with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup salt.
Let the chicken sit for around 15 minutes , and they should come out lovely and tender.
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Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breasts
The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo
A balsamic vinegar marinade flavors these boneless chicken breasts. The chicken is grilled or broiled to perfection in about 15 minutes. Check the temperature on an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165 F. Grilled veggies, or a caesar salad are a great accompaniment to the dish.
Chicken With Havarti Dill Cheese Sauce
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
This sautéed chicken is finished with a flavorful creamy havarti cheese sauce with garlic and optional dill. Chicken cutlets are used in this recipe, or you can use pounded small chicken breast halves. Place the chicken on sautéed spinach with mushrooms and drizzle the sauce on it for a wonderful meal.
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Baked Vs Fried Chicken Strips
We have an oven baked chicken tender recipe thats healthy and delicious if youre wanting something thats less greasy. Theyre baked in the oven and although theyre not deep fried, theyre still crunchy on the outside because of the double coat of flour. But if youre willing to sacrifice some calories and go for something juicy, try these crispy panko fried chicken tenders. You wont be sorry and sometimes you just need to treat yourself to something decadent chicken strips. At least these are fresh and not chicken nuggets or chicken strips that you get from a fast food chain. These homemade chicken tenders are way better. Go ahead and give them a try.
How To Make Smothered Crack Dip Chicken Tenders
This chicken is effortless to make. Place chicken tenderloins in a baking dish. Combine sour cream, Ranch dressing mix, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Spread the sour cream mixture all over the chicken. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven. Top the chicken with more shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, and french fried onions. Bake until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked.
- Can substitute store-bought sour cream Ranch dip for the sour cream and ranch dressing mix.
- Here is our recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix:
- For a lower calorie dish you can substitute plain Greek yogurt and turkey bacon.
- You can use any boneless chicken that you prefer tenderloins, breasts, or thighs. You will need to adjust the cooking time if you use breasts or thighs.
- Tenderloins will cook the fastest.
- You can also cut chicken breasts into strips and they will cook about the same time as tenderloins.
Read Also: Recipe For Chicken Kabobs On Grill
Serve Honey Garlic Chicken Strips With Beer
And of course, dont forget the beer. These sweet and sticky honey soy sauce chicken strips are screaming to be washed down with beer. Or a cocktail or dry white wine, which pairs perfect with the flavors in these chicken strips. Or a fruit juice for the kiddies. This honey garlic chicken strips recipe is perfect for game day and for anyone who loves chicken wings, but want more chicken without fighting through the bones.
Enjoy!
Sheet Pan Chicken Tenders With Honey Balsamic And Vegetables
If youre looking for boneless skinless chicken tenderloin recipes that you can cook in one pan, youre going to love this sheet pan chicken tenders recipe.
This chicken tenders meal is easy to whip up, but that doesnt mean its simple on taste.
With this chicken tenderloin recipe, you get loads of delicious flavor thanks to the Dijon mustard, garlic cloves, honey, and balsamic vinegar.
You could add other veggies, too, including summer squash, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, and more.
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So Whats The Secret Ingredient To Crispy Fried Tenders
Cornstarch is the secret to the crispiest fried chicken! The Asian cuisine uses it for a Tempura batter and there is a reason behind it! The chicken tenderloins at the facility were made with a 3-step technique. The conveyors would bread the chicken first, then run them through a slurry shower and then breaded again. So thats exactly what I did. But since I used chicken breasts I quickly marinated the chicken strips in a baking soda solution that tenderizes the meat in as quick as 10 minutes!
Although cornstarch seemed like the real deal, eggs came into play because the breading wasnt fluffy enough. Eggs gave fluffiness to the rather dull cornstarch breading and its no wonder because my Chinese Chicken Fingers recipe used eggs with the dry breading too!
As of a result, the addition of brown sugar amazed me! Thats what Ive been missing out on! Its the ingredient that gives the frozen breaded chicken tenders its signature taste without the msg! Its by far the most flavorful fried chicken that Ive made and tastes like Breaded Tyson chicken if not better! KFC lovers you have to try these Chicken Strips! And there completely homemade!
Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
The secret to making these chicken tenders super tasty and wonderfully crunchy is to dredge the meat in hot sauce before adding the breadcrumbs.
Just melt some butter and whisk in hot sauce and garlic before combining it with a beaten egg.
Thoroughly dredge the meat and then coat in panko breadcrumbs.
Another handy trick is to toast the breadcrumbs. The dryer they are, the longer theyll stay crunchy.
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Buttermilk Tenderizes And Provides Flavor
We start our recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cut it into strips and place in a bowl of buttermilk for an hour. But why buttermilk? Buttermilk and fried chicken have been synonymous together for good reason. The buttermilk contains enzymes which tenderizes the meat. It breaks down the protein much the way an acidic marinade would. Except with buttermilk, it also infuses a flavor that perfectly complements the meat as well as the breading. Speaking of the breading, lets talk about that too.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Want to turn this healthy baked chicken into an easy sheet pan meal? Add veggies like fresh or frozen green beans, mushrooms, bell peppers, diced potatoes or sweet potatoes, asparagus spears, or broccoli. Now you have a complete dinner with one pan!
- Baking chicken tenderloins from frozen? Sure you can! When baking chicken tenderloins from frozen just add a few minutes to the baking time. Check the chickens internal temperature to ensure it is 165ºF before removing them from the oven.
- Mix up the spices however you like. Feel free to swap or add spices, like Italian seasonings, chili powder and cumin, or cayenne pepper for some heat.
- Double the recipe as part of your weekly meal prep, and have plenty of chicken tenders for lunches or quick dinners.
- Air fry chicken tenders! After preheating your air fryer to 325ºF, bake or air fry chicken tenderloins for 10-15 minutes or until they reach 165ºF internally. See recipe notes for full details.
Also Check: Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
How To Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
Begin by combining the chicken tenderloins with a mixture of buttermilk, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. If you have time, let them marinate overnight.
When youre ready to cook them, make the breading by combining the flour, baking powder and spices in a bowl. Stir in a bit of buttermilk until the mixture is nice and clumpy.
Toss the tenderloins in the mixture and coat evenly with the breading.
Theyll look like this
Finally, heat your oil until shimmering in a high-sided pot to prevent splatters. Place the tenderloins in the hot oil without crowding the pot, and cook until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.
And thats all there is to it. If you need a good honey mustard recipe to go with it, try this one.
Ingredients Needed To Make Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders
There are only a handful of pantry staples you need to make oven baked chicken tenderloins no breading needed! These are the gluten-free, paleo, keto, and low carb ingredients in this recipe:
- Melted butter or oil
- Seasonings paprika, garlic powder, fine sea salt, ground black pepper
- Chicken tenderloins fresh or frozen chicken
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Chicken Tenders In Mushroom
If youre looking for chicken tender dinners that are keto and paleo friendly, youre going to love this recipe for chicken tenders in a lemony mushroom cream sauce.
Also, this chicken tenders recipe is low carb and gluten free, so its a winner on all counts.
The mushroom cream sauce is full of delicious ingredients such as heavy cream, garlic cloves, fresh lemon thyme, chili pepper, nutmeg, butter, extra virgin olive oil, nutmeg, and chives.
How To Make Chicken Tenders
Recommended Reading: Recipes For Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Crock Pot Swiss Chicken Casserole
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
This savory slow-cooked crock pot Swiss chicken casserole is made with only 5 ingredients. Optional sliced potatoes can be added and used as the bottom layer of the casserole, making this a full meal. Herb-seasoned stuffing crumbs and Swiss cheese flavor the dish and make it a hearty meal that’s ready and waiting for you when you and your family get home.
How To Oven Bake The Best Chicken Tenderloins
Preheat your oven to 350º F.
Add seasonings to a ziplock bag or plate. Use a separate one for the melted butter or oil.
Shake or dip the chicken strips in the butter or oil to coat. Then do the same with the chicken tenders and seasonings.
Add your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables like green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, or diced potatoes to the baking sheet for an easy sheet pan dinner.
Below, the chicken strips are paired with asparagus spears.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve the chicken tenders warm with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch, BBQ, mango sweet chili, or honey mustard.
Read Also: How To Grill Chicken Thighs
Savory Chicken Pot Pie
The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
Chicken pot pie is a comforting classic dish for those cold winter days. The filling for this pie is made with chunks of boneless chicken breast halves and a variety of vegetables. Save time using a prebought refrigerated crust or make a homemade crust yourself. Blind-bake the bottom crust to avoid a soggy bottom, and remember to cover the edges of the crust with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overly browned edges.
Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders
Its the fish sauce that makes this honey garlic chicken strips recipe so delicious. But you can certainly use soy sauce. Funny how scary fish sauce can be to some folks. Its certainly an ingredient that needs to be slowly introduced. Fish sauce is stinky but the umami flavors are amazing. If youre not that daring yet, use soy sauce. Its still delicious with soy sauce!
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How To Make This Easy Chicken Tenders Recipe Your Own
Since this is a basic chicken tenders recipe, its easy to customize to your own tastes. Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you want more spices:
- Add a dash of parsley, oregano and grated parmesan to the breading mixture for an Italian upgrade.
- Go southwest by omitting the basil and sprinkling a teaspoon each of chili powder and cumin to the bread crumbs.
- Try something new by substituting the basil for curry powder in your crumb mixture.
If you want to add heat:
- Squeeze a bit of hot sauce in the egg mixture. Cholula is our go-to, but you can use any brand thats your favorite.
- Add chili flakes or ground cayenne to the dry breading. But be careful, a little bit will go a long way!
If you want more texture:
- Instead of dry bread crumbs, crush pretzels in a food processor or in a plastic bag for a coarser crumb with added saltiness.
- Crumbled cornflakes also make a great breading for chicken tenders, them a crisp texture.
Check out even more alternatives to dry bread crumbs.
How To Boil Chicken Tenders
If there is one thing our home goes through a lot of its pre-cooked chicken. Whether we are boiling chicken breast on the stovetop or opting for boiled chicken tenders, there is always a need for meat that is ready for our variety of soups, stews, and casseroles.
If you are wondering how long to boil chicken tenders, then keep scrolling because we have all the details in this boiled chicken tenders recipe.
And if you arent quite sure what to use all of your wonderful boiled chicken tenderloins for, dont worry we have got you covered. In fact, once you know how to boil chicken tenders you will be whipping up sour cream chicken enchilada casserole, green chili chicken casserole, and even buffalo chicken dip or keto cobb salad every chance you get.
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