Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

These healthier chicken tenders are cooked in a simple, delicious garlic butter sauce. They turn out tender, juicy, and flavorful, and they’re ready in just 15 minutes. This is one of the easiest chicken tender recipes for a busy weeknight.

This was quick, easy and quite delicious! Very flavorful, perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

Cathy

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Chicken Tender Recipes

Chicken tenders are so easy to cook. I always make them on busy weeknights as they’re ready in no time, and everyone in my family loves them. Sometimes I take out my grill pan and quickly make these grilled chicken tenders. And when I’m craving crunchy restaurant-style chicken tenders, I either make the crunchy buttermilk fried version or the healthier oven-baked chicken tenders.

If I’m not making a large batch, I make them in the air fryer. Another favorite is this skillet recipe for unbreaded garlic butter chicken tenders. They turn out juicy and tender, with plenty of flavor from the garlic and butter.

What are Chicken Tenders?

Chicken tenders are known as chicken mini fillets in the UK. Many people think they are simply thin strips of chicken breast, but a chicken tender is a separate cut of meat found underneath and attached to the breast. It is one of the most tender parts of the chicken. Each chicken has two tenders, which stay moist and tender when cooked properly.

You can find chicken tenders sold separately from chicken breasts in supermarkets on trays, so you can buy a tray with 10-20 chicken tenders to grill up, fry, or bake.

They are also known as chicken strips, tendies, and chicken fillets.

So if you’re like me, and you prefer home-cooked food, grab a tray of chicken tenders next time you go grocery shopping and make this recipe!

The Ingredients

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Chicken tenders – If using frozen chicken tenders, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. You can also use a boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips.
• Butter and olive oil – Olive oil gives the tenders great flavor, but it can be replaced with any neutral cooking oil.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic, and plenty of it! If using jarred minced garlic, use 1 teaspoon for each garlic clove.
• Salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning – I always make my own Italian seasoning blend because it’s easy, flavorful, and less expensive than store-bought.

How to Make Chicken Tenders

1. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Heat until the butter has melted.
2. Add the chicken tenders and season them with paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, seasoning the second side after you flip the chicken.
4. Make room in the skillet for the garlic. Melt the remaining butter, then add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
5. Add the Italian seasoning and cook for 1 more minute.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
7. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.

Top Tips

• Do not overcook the garlic. Garlic cooks very quickly, usually in 30 to 60 seconds. Burned garlic tastes bitter, so keep a close eye on it.
• Do not overcook the chicken tenders. They cook quickly and can become stringy, dry, and tough when overcooked. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that they have reached 165°F/74°C.
• Deglaze the skillet. Add a splash of water and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to give the sauce more flavor.

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating

To store: Let the chicken tenders cool, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

To freeze: Transfer the cooled chicken tenders to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat: Warm the chicken gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water or chicken broth. Reheat just until warmed through, and the center reaches 165°F/74°C.

Common Questions About Chicken Tenders

What to Serve with Chicken Tenders

• Garlic butter pasta pairs SO well with these tenders!
• Homemade coleslaw
• Oven-baked French fries with the best-ever French fry seasoning! For a lighter option, try these delicious rutabaga fries. And for dipping, try my copycat Cane’s sauce!
• Red potato salad
• Basil pesto
• Homemade caesar salad
• Chick-Fil-A Sauce

More Easy Chicken Dinners

• Teriyaki chicken stir fry
• Chicken scampi (Olive Garden copycat recipe)
• Chicken fajita casserole
• Creamy lemon chicken
• Marry Me chicken

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

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Chicken Tenders Recipe

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Juicy chicken tenderloins cooked in a simple garlic butter sauce with Italian seasoning. This easy, unbreaded chicken tenders recipe is made in one skillet and ready in just 15 minutes.

3 servings

Juicy chicken tenderloins cooked in a simple garlic butter sauce with Italian seasoning. This easy, unbreaded chicken tenders recipe is made in one skillet and ready in just 15 minutes.

Recipe Video

Equipment

• Skillet
• Spatula

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoon butter divided
• ▢ 1 pound (450g) chicken tenderloins (chicken mini fillets)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced or crushed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley chopped – for garnish

Instructions 

• Add olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan/skillet over medium heat.
  
• Add the chicken tenders, season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
  
• Cook for 3 minutes on each side (season each side as you cook).
  
• Make room for the garlic, melt the remaining butter, and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
• Season with Italian seasoning, and cook for one more minute.
• Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan to deglaze it, and scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (that’s where all of the good flavor is).
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves, and serve warm.
  

Notes:

• Don’t overcook the garlic. Garlic cooks very quickly (about 30-60 seconds), and burnt garlic tastes terrible so keep an eye on it as you cook.
• Don’t overcook the chicken tenders, they cook so quickly and if they’re overcooked they can turn out stringy, dry, and tough. They are ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
• To create a flavorful sauce, make sure to deglaze the pan with a splash of water as that’s where the flavor is.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 5ounces, Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Sodium: 567mg, Potassium: 626mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 1060IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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