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.
lise says
hi, just made this, and it’s going to be my to go chicken tenders…! thank you so much! by the way, love your recipes ;o)
Anna says
Can you make these the day before and then warm in the oven to serve?
Sara says
That should be fine!
Sue says
I decided to pan fry these. After marinating. I made sure to drain most of the marinade off the chicken and to make sure the pan was hot so the chicken would brown nicely. I loved the lemony garlicky flavor and the spices. The chicken was really tender and delicious. Will definitely make this again and again. .
Martha Meguiar says
Since it’s pretty chilly outside, thought I’d try using my grill pan for the chicken tenders. They will be marinating over night tonight. My question is, will they be tender and done throughout if I grill them this way?
Sara says
Yes I often use a grill pan!
Gloria says
Amazing~ Thank you so much
Al C says
I made this for a group and got very positive comments. I can’t eat chicken so I have to take their word for it. It was easy with no wierd stuff so i had alll the ingredients already. I will make it again.