Why you’ll love these grilled chicken tenders
If you love my grilled salmon kabobs, I know you’re going to love this recipe too. I’ve taken the delicious marinade from that recipe and tweaked it slightly for these grilled chicken tenders.
These chicken tenders are a great meal prep option and I love to make a batch or two to serve with salads all week long.
The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful it will be, but you can easily whip this recipe up in under and hour. It only takes a few minutes to make the marinade though so you can prep the rest of your meal while the chicken soaks in all that flavor.
More chicken recipes recipes: lemon rosemary broiled chicken breast / pan seared chicken breast / yogurt marinated chicken breast / stuffed spinach artichoke chicken / baked chicken kabobs
Ingredient notes:
- Chicken tenders – if you don’t have tenders, you can easily use this marinade with chicken breasts or chicken thighs, you’ll just have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Lemon juice – don’t have lemon juice? Try limes or you can even substitute a vinegar such as white wine or rice vinegar (I don’t recommend balsamic for this).
- Sesame seeds – if you don’t have these, feel free to leave them out, but they do add a ton of unexpected flavor to the recipe and I really encourage you to use them.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How do you grill chicken without drying it out?
The easiest way to prevent chicken from drying out while grilling is to not over cook the chicken. I like to use a meat probe to monitor the temperature while I’m grilling, and remove it just as it reaches 165˚F.
How long does it take to grill chicken tenders on a gas grill?
Chicken tenders cook very quickly on a gas grill. At 425˚F, they should take about 8 minutes to cook. I recommend turning them once and using a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature before serving.
More grilling favorites: grilled turkey breast / grilled pineapple / grilled bison burgers / grilled salmon kabobs / dry rub smoked chicken wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken. Whisk the marinade ingredients a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken tenders and stir to coat. Make sure the chicken is submerged in the liquid and cover the bowl.Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the chicken to marinate. While the chicken marinates soak wooden skewers, if using.
- Prep and skewer. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 425˚F). Remove the chicken from the marinade and place them on the skewers, allowing the excess marinade to drip back into the bowl.
- Grill the chicken. Put the chicken tenders on the grill for about 8 minutes. Turn the chicken half way through, and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165˚F. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
