Easy Grilled Chicken Tenders are moist and tender and only need a few minutes of prep and 10 minutes on the grill. Kids and adults all love chicken tenders.
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Do you have one of "those" kids? You know, the picky ones who won't eat what you cook, and you end up changing dinner. Let's fix that—you can have steak, and they can have healthy grilled chicken tenders.
This solution is this easy chicken tenders recipe with minimal work and time—follow the step-by-step photo instructions. It is guaranteed to calm that 3-year-old dinner monster.
Check out our other chicken tender recipes like Baked Chicken Tenders and Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders. And don't miss these kid-friendly chicken recipes like Oven Baked Chicken Legs, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Baked Chicken Nuggets, and Baked Chicken Strips.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken tenders—known as chicken tenderloin, or cut chicken strips from chicken breasts
- Oil—olive oil or other vegetable oil
- Seasoning—salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice like my All-Purpose Seasoning. Or a marinade like Chicken Marinade with Lemon and Butter, Easy Chicken Marinade, Italian dressing, or Buttermilk Marinade for Chicken.
👨🍳How to Grill Chicken Tenders
- Clean and oil the grill grates well—preheat to a surface temperature of about 450°.
- Trim chicken tenders of any tendon and pat dry.
- Coat the tenders with oil and season to your taste.
- Place chicken tenders on the grill over direct heat—use a grill pan if you wish.
- Flip after 4-5 minutes, and the edge turns white.
- Grill for about 5 minutes on the second side until the internal temperature is 165° in the thickest parts.
⏲️How long to grill chicken tenders
It takes about 10 minutes to grill chicken tenders at a 450° grill surface temperature. It will vary some by the thickness of the tenders and the exact grill temperature.
According to the FDA, chicken is done at 165° internal temperature in the thickest part. A higher temperature will dry, and a lower temperature is unsafe. An instant-read thermometer is required to get this right.
♨️Grill temperature
You want a grill surface temperature of about 450°. When cooking tenders, a grill surface temperature that is slightly under is much better than a little over. On most gas grills, it will be medium-high heat.
A grill surface thermometer will help you become a better griller. Please see A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for more information on controlling your grill temperature.
Chicken tenders can be done quickly on a charcoal grill but not directly over the coals.
❓FAQs
You can cut chicken breast strips to do this, but they will cook a bit slower. But you are cooking to a final internal temperature anyway, so it will be fine.
None is needed, but kids love to dip. Give them a little sauce to dip, like some ranch dressing, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Serve with grilled side dishes like Grilled Carrots with Honey Glazed, Grilled Peaches, Grilled Pineapple Slices, or Baked French Fries. Or try sides of a green salad, veggies, or rice.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Leftovers are great on a salad or used in chicken tacos or a fajita.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start with the number of tenders you need, olive oil, and seasoning of your choice.
Preheat the grill to a surface temperature of about 450°, medium-high on most gas grills and medium on a hot gas grill. Clean and oil the grill surface well.
Pat dry the chicken tenders. Trim the tendon off—it doesn't need to be perfect.
In a mixing bowl, mix chicken tenders with olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and granular garlic powder (optional). Adjust spices and oil according to the number of tenders and your taste.
Place over direct heat on the grill grate.
Grill until the chicken turns pink to white along the edge (about 5 minutes). You will see the white moving up the sides. Flip and grill another approximately 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature is 165°.
📖 Recipe
Easy Grilled Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken tenders - or as many as needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon granular garlic powder - optional
Instructions
- Start with the number of tenders you need, olive oil, and seasoning of your choice.
- Preheat the grill to a surface temperature of about 450°, medium-high on most gas grills and medium on a hot gas grill. Clean and oil the grill surface well.
- Pat dry the chicken tenders. Trim the tendon off—it doesn't need to be perfect.
- In a mixing bowl, mix chicken tenders with olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and granular garlic powder (optional). Adjust spices and oil according to the number of tenders and your taste.
- Place chicken tenders over direct heat on the grill grate.
- Grill until the chicken turns pink to white along the edge (about 5 minutes). You will see the white moving up the sides. Flip and grill another approximately 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature is 165°.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This recipe is easy to combine with grilling chicken or pork since the grill temperature is the same.
- If you do this with beef, you will need to turn down the heat on part of the grill.
- The recommended surface temperature is 450°. If you cook much hotter, they will dry.
- Use the seasoning of your choice.
- The final internal temperature of 165° is important for safety.
- You may cut chicken strips out of chicken breasts. They may take a few minutes longer but you are cooking to the final internal temperature.
- Kids love to dip so use a dip if you want. Just some Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, or mayo is fine.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published May 30, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Lila
Do you close the cover of the gas grill for the 2 five minute grilling times or leave it open to watch.
Thx!
Lila
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Lila,
Welcome to the blog.
It is generally better closed since you can control the temperature better but you can do it open as long as you adjusted the grill to a 450° temp when with the hood staying open. But remember you are cooking to a final internal temperature of 165° internal temp and not by time.
Dan
Tom
Superb!! One of the best things about grilling is very often the best recipes are amazingly simple. This easy chicken tender prep and grill is a great example. Simple=Zen grillin’ Thanks!!
Ian
I've been doing these for years, but out of practice and found this post for time guidelines. A good grill pan like an Isla cast iron will make it look amazing too. I prefer to brush both sides with a dot of harissa paste (north African chili and herb pase from a tube, champ du bon is my favorite).
DrDan
Thanks for the comment and your experience.
Dan
Judy
I've been using your chicken recipes for awhile now. My daughter 3 and husband love the chicken I make. Thanks for sharing!
DrDan
It is one of those you know you can do it but a quick tutorial is helpful. This is so easy to do separately for the kids and keep everyone happy.
Thanks for the comment.
DrDan
Sheila H.
I have fed my kids lots of grilled chicken over the years, but they gobbled this up better than any I have made. I did sub Herbamare for the half of the salt. Easy and soooo good. Thanks for this quick lunch idea.
spence wainright
great recipe
Chris
Great idea and not just because it is healthy, but because it sounds like it tastes great.