Grilled Chicken Tenders

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freenut free

These grilled chicken tenders are marinated in a flavorful blend of spices and seasonings and grilled until perfectly tender and juicy. They’re incredibly delicious and will make a great addition to your summer grilling rotation.

Jump to Recipe
Grilled chicken tenders on metal skewers on a serving platter with lemon slices and sprigs of fresh parsley.

Why you’ll love this grilled chicken tenders recipe

  • 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.
Chicken skewers on a serving platter with lemon and parsley.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Ingredients & Substitutions

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.

  • 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.
Grilled chicken tenders on a plate with a baked potato.

How to make grilled chicken tenders

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. Refrigerate until ready to grill.

You can skewer the chicken tenders to make them easier to handle when they’re on the grill. If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.

Grill the chicken tenders. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 425˚F). Remove the chicken from the marinade and place them on the skewers if you’re using them. You don’t need to pat them dry or anything, but all any excess to drip off into the bowl.

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.

Chicken on skewers on a serving platter.

frequently asked questions: grilled chicken tenders

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.

Close up of grilled chicken tenders on metal skewers on a platter with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

More grilling recipes you will love

More dairy free chicken recipes you should try

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Grilled Chicken Tenders

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

Description

These grilled chicken tenders are marinated in a flavorful blend of spices and seasonings and grilled until perfectly tender and juicy. They’re incredibly delicious and will make a great addition to your summer grilling rotation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. Add marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
  2. Add chicken tenders, stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the chicken to marinate. While the chicken marinates soak wooden skewers, if using.
  3. Preheat grill to medium high heat (about 375˚F-400˚F).
  4. Add chicken tenders and grill for about 8 minutes turning once.
  5. When chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F, remove from grill.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 376
  • Sugar: 1.1 g
  • Sodium: 2061.1 mg
  • Fat: 17.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
  • Fiber: 0.9 g
  • Protein: 45.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 109.8 mg

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! You can leave a rating or review in the comment section below. Ratings and reviews help this site grow and help others who make the recipe in the future!

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

Similar Posts

Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself:

  • Did you make the recipe as directed? If you didn’t make the recipe as directed, or changed the ingredients in any way, please refrain from leaving a rating. Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.
  • Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.
  • Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to your for free. Advertising allows me to continue to do so, and is basically unavoidable on the internet. If you want ad-free recipes, please purchase a cookbook.

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star