Grilled Chicken Tenders are the culinary bridge between my inner kid, who was a picky eater and ordered chicken fingers in every restaurant, and my outer adult, who is picky about her chicken fingers: the chicken must be moist and juicy, the flavor on point, and I’m probably in a hurry so please don’t ask me to spend more than a few minutes cooking them.
Along with Grilled Chicken Breast and Grilled Chicken Thighs, I unlocked the trick to grilling chicken tenders that boast golden, grill-marked outsides and moist, juicy insides.
They’re also well-seasoned. The flavor, while mild and kid-friendly, still permeates all the way to their centers. No bland chicken for us!
You’ll find helpful tips and suggestions for how to serve these easy grilled chicken tenders too. Sure, they are perfect for a fast, healthy meal on their own, but I’ve been especially loving them as a stand in for meal-prep recipes like salads or wraps, where I’d ordinarily use basic shredded chicken, like what you’ll find in this stovetop method for How to Cook Shredded Chicken, this Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, or this Instant Pot Chicken.
And if it’s raining today (or you don’t own a grill) I have some tips for alternative cooking methods for the chicken tenders too.
Sweet and Tangy Grilled Chicken Tenders
Ingredients:
Total time:15 min + 1 to 4 hours for marinating – Prep time:10 min – Cook time:5 min – Serves:2 people Author: Jason
Directions:
1. Cut 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breast into tenders, if you can’t find chicken labeled as tenders in the market. Butterfly the breast and then slice into tenders that are approximately 1? wide and 3” to 4? long. Place the tenders in a glass baking or storage dish with a lid. Alternatively, you can place them in a sealable plastic bag.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour the marinade over the chicken, being sure to coat all the pieces. Cover the dish or seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
3. Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling so that it can come to room temperature.
4. Preheat your George Foreman Grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Place the chicken tenders in a single layer on the hot grill and close the top. Discard the extra marinade. Grill the chicken for approximately 5 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F. Depending on the size of your contact grill, you might have to do this in two batches. You can keep the cooked tenders warm in a low oven.
5. Serve over rice with a side of steamed or grilled broccoli and a dipping sauce.
Chicken tenders are perfect for a quick meal or as a snack. Kids love ’em too!
You can purchase boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins at most grocery stores and work directly with those. Or you can use regular boneless skinless chicken breasts and gut them into strips of approximately 1 inch wide. If starting with whole breasts, use a meat mallet and pound to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. They will grill much better that way.
Mix salad dressing, lime juice and honey in a shallow bowl of ziploc bag and add chicken tenders. Marinate for as long as you can. If you can let them marinate overnight they will be best. But even for a few minutes and you’ll still get tasty tenders.
Total time:35 min – Prep time:30 min – Cook time:5 min – Serves:2 people Author: Jason
Your Foreman Grill is perfect for making quick and easy grilled chicken tenders. With a few easy steps you can create delicious tenders that are great on their own, in salads, in wraps, or however you’d like to have some delicious grilled chicken.
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Chicken Tenders
FAQ
How long do I cook chicken tenders on the George Foreman?
How do you cook chicken on a George Foreman Grill without drying it out?
What temperature do you cook chicken on a George Foreman Grill?
