• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Dinner » Grilled Chicken Tenders

May 14, 2018 By Sara 38 Comments

Grilled Chicken Tenders

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These grilled chicken tenders are marinated in lemon, garlic, herbs and olive oil, then grilled to golden brown perfection. The ultimate easy main course for summer time!

Chicken tenders are inexpensive, quick cooking and are perfect to toss on the grill. Add an easy marinade to the mix and you’ve got tender and flavorful chicken that’s great as-is, or served on a salad or in a pasta dish.

Grilled Chicken Tenders Recipe | Marinated Chicken | Lemon Garlic Chicken | Grilled Chicken #grilling #chicken #healthy #dinneratthezoo Grilled Chicken Tenders Recipe | Marinated Chicken | Lemon Garlic Chicken | Grilled Chicken #grilling #chicken #healthy #dinneratthezoo

A pile of grilled chicken tenders topped with fresh herbs and garnished with lemon wedges.

We eat a LOT of chicken tenders in this house. I prefer them to chicken breasts simply because they cook so much quicker. Chicken tenders are also great for soaking up a flavorful marinade. In the summer months, I make grilled chicken tenders every week, we just can’t get enough of them!

How do you grill chicken tenders?

To grill chicken tenders, you’ll first want to soak them in a marinade for at least 20 minutes, or up to 8 hours. After the chicken comes out of the marinade, it’s grilled over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Raw chicken tenders in a marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and herbs.

Can you marinate chicken overnight?

Yes, you can marinate chicken overnight, in the refrigerated in a sealed container or heavy duty freezer bag. If your chicken marinade contains acid such as lemon juice, you’ll want to be careful not to over-marinate your chicken, as the acid can change the texture of the meat if it’s left to soak for too long.

How long does it take to cook chicken tenders?

It takes anywhere from 8-10 minutes total to cook chicken tenders on the grill. Be sure to flip your meat halfway through the grilling process to ensure even cooking.

While I typically make these grilled chicken tenders on a charcoal grill, I’ve been known to use a grill pan on the stove during cold weather months. You get a similar result without having to light a fire.

Chicken tenders cooking on a grill pan.

I typically serve these chicken tenders as-is, with a green vegetable on the side and some type of starch like rice or pasta. That being said, I often double this recipe so that I’ll have plenty of leftover chicken to use later in the week in other dishes like tacos and salads.

Grilled chicken tenders on a plate garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.

I typically finish my grilled chicken tenders with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand, other great herb options are fresh dill, chives, thyme, green onions or mint.

I often serve these tenders with a dipping sauce, which makes them more kid friendly. My kids enjoy dipping their grilled chicken tenders into ketchup, hummus and barbecue sauce.

A plate of grilled chicken tenders topped with chopped parsley.

This recipe is a summer staple in my house, and it’s sure to become a favorite in your family too!

More grilling recipes

  • Grilled Asparagus in Foil
  • One Dish Grilled Chicken Dinner
  • Grilled Lemon Sriracha Shrimp
  • Hawaiian Grilled Chicken
  • Grilled Chicken Fajitas on a Stick
A pile of grilled chicken tenders topped with fresh herbs and garnished with lemon wedges.
Print Pin
5 from 20 votes

Grilled Chicken Tenders

These grilled chicken tenders are marinated in lemon, garlic, herbs and olive oil, then grilled to golden brown perfection. The ultimate easy main course for summer time!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, grilled chicken, grilled chicken tenders
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 196kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast tenders
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in a large bowl or resealable freezer bag. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Stir to coat chicken evenly. Marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  • Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat.
  • Place the chicken in a single layer on the grill. 
  • Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
  • Remove chicken from the grill. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 432mg | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 4.5mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Grilling Tagged With: Chicken, Lemon

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

« Taco Pasta
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake »

Comments

  1. MMA72 says

    October 12, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my yummy goodness! Not only is this recipe quick and easy, it’s absolutely delicious! I’m going to use this marinade first when making my BBQ chicken. It would pair perfectly with BBQ sauce at the end.

    Reply
  2. Andrea Wiley says

    September 28, 2020 at 12:20 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this and it was amazing!!! OMG!!!

    Reply
  3. Donna Vaughn says

    June 16, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious! I accidentally bought organic chicken tenders instead of chicken breast at Costco and found your recipe. I didn’t even get to marinate them very long but such a great flavor!

    Reply
  4. ChelleBel says

    June 1, 2020 at 5:53 pm

    5 stars
    I was looking for something different to do with grilled chicken breast tenders and came across this recipe… I didn’t have Italian seasoning, but had a packet of ranch seasoning… it was awesome! My whole family loved it, even my son who is SOOOOO picky! Will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  5. Diane says

    May 27, 2020 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    Delish. Yogurt dip goes great with these too. Just take some yogurt, add some garlic, a little salt and lemon juice, maybe a tspn of mayo to make it more hearty (but less healthy) and that’s it! Add herbs if you want but the chicken already is well seasoned so no real need.

    Reply
  6. Crystal says

    May 20, 2020 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good! I added mine to a salad and my 3 yr old inhaled it! Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Skyler says

    May 12, 2020 at 12:15 pm

    5 stars
    This is hands down my favorite dish I’ve ever had. I make this once a week, thank you so much.

    Reply
  8. Claire says

    May 4, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I misplaced our grill pan so I made it in a skillet. And I added a dash of red pepper flakes to the marinade. I served it over a bed of spring greens I had tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon (and all the extra parsley!).

    Reply
  9. Brian Matthews says

    October 15, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    5 stars
    Deliciously easy.Thank you.

    Reply
  10. Nancy says

    September 12, 2019 at 3:43 pm

    Can you make it in the oven? If so, how? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 12, 2019 at 9:42 pm

      Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through!

      Reply
  11. NC says

    July 6, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    5 stars
    Another great recipe!! Just made this and the hubby loves it 🙂 Super simple and easy to make. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  12. Bea says

    April 20, 2019 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    I love this easy recipe! We do a lot of grilling now that the weather is nice again. I threw some corn also on the BBQ with the chicken.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
category category category category category category category

Categories

Sites I am featured In
PRIVACY POLICY © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2018.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food