When it comes to basing your meals around a particular meat, I almost always go for chicken. As a white meat, it’s one of the healthiest types, so much better for you than red meat.
And it’s super versatile too, it goes superbly well in all sorts of dishes. But most of all, I love chicken tenderloins.
Chicken is a pretty low fat meat anyway, but chicken breast and tenderloins are the leanest parts, with barely any fat on them at all.
What’s more, tenderloins are slightly more tender than the breast, and it’s a texture that just keeps you coming back for more. And they’re an excellent source of protein to boot.
So, I decided to check out some of the recipes on the internet based around chicken tenderloins, focusing in particular on healthy ones (see also ‘Pork Tenderloin Carnitas (The Best Crockpot Pulled Pork) Recipe‘).
After much deliberation, I was able to put together a shortlist of my top ten favorites, which I’m about to share with you now.
Get those taste buds ready, because here we go!
1. Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders (No Breading) Recipe From Whole Lotta Yum
Now, this is one of the healthiest ways to cook chicken tenderloins…
Whereas the chicken tenders you get through fast food drive-throughs tend to be either breaded or battered and really high in carbs, fats, and calories, these are baked rather than fried and have a moist, flavorful coating instead of a less healthy crispy one.
Better yet, you only need 3 ingredients, and the whole thing can be ready to eat in as little as 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for a busy weeknight.
Besides the chicken tenderloins, all you need is some butter or olive oil and two tablespoons of dry chicken rub.
And the best thing is that you can use just about any chicken seasoning you like, whether it’s a generic one, a taco one, a fajita one, an Italian seasoning one, or whatever!
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
2. Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders Recipe From Rasa Malaysia
This is possibly THE most popular chicken tender recipe on the net.
After well over 1,000 user reviews, it has still managed to achieve an average user rating of 4 and a half stars out of 5. They come out juicy and tender and, best of all, garlicky!
Besides the chicken, you will also need lemon juice, herbs, unsalted butter, some minced garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, and spices smoked paprika and cayenne pepper.
When I made this recipe, I was impressed with just how quick and easy it was to cook. Prep was a mere 5 minutes, and the cooking time was just 10 minutes.
I love to serve it with lemon wedges for a citrus hit!
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
3. Mushroom Chicken Recipe From A Pinch Of Healthy
If you ask me, there are few meals as comforting and satisfying as chicken tenderloins in a homemade cream of mushroom soup (see also “Simple Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup“) – and now you have the link to the perfect recipe for it!
And this recipe not only tastes amazing but is quite healthy, too. Because rather than being made with cream or heavy cream, the main ingredients for the sauce, besides the flavorings, are just diced mushrooms, milk (preferably a low fat one), and chicken stock.
It also features butter, salt, and pepper to taste, and a pinch of garlic powder.
The recipe yields 4 servings, each coming in at just 452 calories.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
4. Chicken Tenders With Bacon Jalapeño Sauce Recipe From Simply So Healthy
Talk about being full of flavor! This dish features not only succulent chicken tenders but ones that are dressed in a cream, yet smokey, and spicy sauce.
You can either broil or grill the chicken tenders, which is way healthier than frying them in oil or coating them in some thick, high-carb batter or breading.
First, you marinate the chicken tenderloins in coconut oil, sea salt, and paprika, then you prepare the sauce, before cooking them both.
The sauce features such flavorful ingredients as juicy bacon squares, jalapeño peppers, crushed garlic, chopped onion, balsamic vinegar, heavy cream, and salt and pepper.
It’s ready in half an hour and is just 294 calories per serving.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
5. Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Recipe From Well Plated By Erin
Air frying is such a great way to cook. It’s super healthy because more often than not you only really need to add a couple of sprays of oil rather than spoons of it. And this means that you get far healthier food, with far less fat.
And with the recipe, you get to enjoy chicken tenders that are juicy and tender on the inside yet delightfully crispy on the outside.
What’s more, this recipe is also healthier than your usual crispy chicken tender recipe because the coating is made with a combination of Panko breadcrumbs and whole wheat breadcrumbs.
The recipe yields 4 settings at just 343 calories each, and is ready in just 20 minutes.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
6. Healthy Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe From Diabetes Strong
If, like me, you like strong mustard flavors in your meal, then this is the dish for you. This is because it features whole grain mustard, which is usually stronger than the more common smooth yellow mustard.
What’s more, whole grain mustard also happens to be loaded with nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
It’s super simple to make, and your succulent chicken tenders are smothered in a delicious mustard sauce, featuring fresh tarragon, lemon juice, minced garlic cloves, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
The recipe yields 4 servings and is ready to eat in as little as 25 minutes. Moreover, each serving comes in at just 195 calories.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
7. Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders And Vegetables Recipe From A Cedar Spoon
This has to be one of the healthiest chicken tender recipes out there!
You roast the chicken tenderloins with some healthy veg, including onion, zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes (see also “A Quick Guide To Roma Tomatoes“), and carrot julienne.
But before that, you whip up two quick marinades, one for the chicken and one for the marinade, both featuring light balsamic vinegar, sweet honey, and Italian seasoning.
It takes about 50 minutes to make, so it’s a nice way to kill time over a rainy weekend.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
8. Grilled Chicken Tenders And Hummus Meal Prep Box Recipe From I Hate Meal Prep
Now, this has to be the most convenient chicken tender recipe out there!
This is because it’s one of the meals that you can prepare the night before, and simply arrange into a lunchbox for lunch the next day.
You can cook it at the same time as you prepare your evening meal because you won’t need much equipment to make it.
It’s a simple recipe, and all the ingredients are easy to get hold of. This includes soy sauce, diced opinion, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, hummus (of your own choosing), mini cucumbers, diced garlic cloves, and red wine vinegar.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
9. Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe From Joy Filled Eats
OMG, I just love anything coconut flavored! And let me tell you, chicken tenderloins taste just amazing in this recipe’s sweet coconut crust (see also “10 Amazing Low Calorie Chicken Recipes“).
All you have to do is coat the chicken tenders in a mixture made from coconut oil, coconut flour, eggs, shredded coconut, and salt and pepper.
The recipe also includes instructions on how to make an amazing maple and mustard dipping sauce. This is made with Dijon mustard, water, sweetener, and maple extract.
It makes for an excellent starter course, is ready to eat in just half an hour, and comes in at just 314 calories per serving.
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
10. Honey Soy Chicken Tenderloins Recipe From Allie Carte Dishes
And now to go out with a bang!
In this recipe you get melt-in-the-mouth chicken tenderloin pieces, smothered in a delicious sauce, which combines not only honey and soy but also garlic as well.
It’s super simple to make, with just 7 ingredients required altogether. The recipe yields 5 chicken tenders, and they come in at just 152 calories. Excellent as a starter or part of a main course.
I love them served on a bed of white rice and topped with a garnish of green onion. What’s more, you can have it ready in as little as 10 minutes!
To view the recipe in full, simply click on this link.
Wrap Up
I’m pretty sure you enjoyed browsing through my shortlist of recipes, but you know what I think you’ll enjoy more? Eating them! And hopefully, making them too. Bon appétit!
I decided to start TodayInDietzville because I wanted to share all of the tips, tricks and information that I’ve learned over the years as a nutritionist.
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