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.
N_Aros says
Hello! I am looking to make this marinade now, but I am not sure what the “Italian seasoning” mentioned is. Is this the dressing packet, or a blend of dried herbs? Please kindly confirm so I know how to proceed. Thanks so much!
Sara says
It’s a blend of dried herbs sold in a bottle with the rest of the herbs and spices!
Barbara says
Really really good. My husband and I both loved it!
Natasha says
Great recipe! Easy & delicious. Perfect for relaxing summer dinner.
Jennifer says
If you use lemon juice concentrate – should you half the amount for the marinade?
Sara says
Is this like shelf stable bottled lemon juice?
Dave says
Son asked me if I could grill some tenders to have available for lunch, found this recipe. Turned out great, added an extra clove of garlic and a little more Italian seasoning. Sonething came up so they sat in the marinade for a day and a half and were wonderful. I would recommend marinating overnight.
Jaymie says
Very tasty recipe. Will be making it again. Loved it
Lydia says
Such great flavors and yet so simple. My family loved this recipe, chicken came out tasty, moist and tender.
A definite keeper ! Thank you so much !
Claire says
Delicious!!! We made on a gas stove in a regular pan. Medium heat did the trick (4 min one side, 3-4 on the other)
MMA72 says
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.
Andrea Wiley says
Just made this and it was amazing!!! OMG!!!
Donna Vaughn says
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!
ChelleBel says
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!
Diane says
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.
Crystal says
This was so good! I added mine to a salad and my 3 yr old inhaled it! Thank you!
Skyler says
This is hands down my favorite dish I’ve ever had. I make this once a week, thank you so much.
Claire says
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!).
Brian Matthews says
Deliciously easy.Thank you.
Nancy says
Can you make it in the oven? If so, how? Thank you!
Sara says
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through!
NC says
Another great recipe!! Just made this and the hubby loves it 🙂 Super simple and easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
Bea says
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.