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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Grilled Chicken Tenders
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.
Tara says
Amazing. They tenders also go great with honey mustard sauce. I absolutely love your recipes. What grill pan is used for your grilled recipes?
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! I use this grill pan: https://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Contemporary-Hard-Anodized-Aluminum-Nonstick/dp/B00LK07OSA/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1549433074&sr=1-7&keywords=grill+pan
Callie says
Excited to try this recipe tonight! With my cast iron grill pan. Do you have any secrets on cleaning your grill pan of the grit left from cooking?
Sara says
I typically use a nonstick grill pan, and I soak it to help remove the grit, but I don’t think you’re supposed to do that with cast iron. I had a lot of trouble the other day with a sticky marinade, just could not get the thing clean! I put the pan back over the heat and the grime literally peeled off from the heat, it was amazing!
Amanda says
I made this last night. I was only going to be able to marinate it for 20 min and and had a little more chicken, we like garlic so I did like 4 cloves. But oh my! It was so easy, tender, juicy and delicious! My husband and I were fighting over leftovers for the next day lol. Thank you for this marinade recipe!… I forgot to say 5 stars!
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Andrina Mathew says
Hey sara,
Yummy, so much tasty I tried this recipe and recommend this to my friends.
Debbie says
Looks delicious and easy!
Blair Villanueva says
The recipe is simple and looks delicious! I would love to pair this with wine 😀
swathi says
These grilled chicken tenders so perfect that too with lot of flavor, simple and easy recipe for busy night If I make salad to go with then this will be wonderful meal.
Carissa says
Delicious! My husband just bought a grill today and I’m so excited to use it!
Athena says
Those came out perfect! I bet they were delicious! Can’t wait to start our camping season and we will add this to our menu.
Becca Wilson says
These grilled tenders look like they would be so good. My kids tend to love to eat grilled chicken more so than friend so these I’m sure would be a hit!
KRYSTLE COOK says
This actually makes me want to eat chicken now. It’s lunchtime and this recipe looks SO good!
Kate Andrews says
I don’t eat meat, but my husband does and he loves a good piece of chicken. I will have to share this with him.
Gemille Sleweon says
These look delicious and are a healthier alternative to friend chicken tenders. When i ate meat, i used to love dipping my tenders in honey mustard.
Karly says
I do a marinade really similar and its fantastic! I need to try this one!
Kelli A says
This looks amazing and i actually have all the seasonings and spices for once! I may have to give this a try this weekend!
Mary says
I am always looking for new chicken marinades that I can do overnight. This one looks like a winner!
What Corinne Did says
These chicken tenders look so tasty! they’d be perfect for a picnic or lunch in the garden! when my bf comes over, i’ll ask him to make this!
1stopmom says
This chicken looks delicious! I love making chicken but have never tried grilling chicken tenders. Thanks for the recipe!
Tara Pittman says
My teen has been cooking chicken a lot. He would love this recipe.
Mama Ash {Erica} says
Simple and delicious. I love making chicken tenders and dipping them in a honey/mayo/mustard/dill sauce. So good! Now, you have me craving some, lol. Thanks for a new recipe!