29 Chicken Tender Recipe Ideas

Honey garlic chicken is a classic dish and a favorite at dinner tables worldwide. It features crispy golden chicken tenderloins cooked to perfection in a sweet, tangy, and garlicky sauce.

I love serving this chicken over rice or with a side of steamed vegetables. Otherwise, sometimes I simply enjoy the dish as-is.

People always wonder if the chicken tenders they get from fast food are real. Instead of crossing your fingers, why not make them yourself?

It's incredibly easy if you have an air fryer, and much healthier too. I like to dip these chicken tenders in sauces like ketchup, BBQ, mustard, or ranch.

If you like a specific chain's chicken, check out Chick-Fil-A copycat recipes or McDonald's recipes to recreate.

Adding almonds to chicken strips is the best way to get that restaurant-style crunch without having to fry them. It also adds a nutty flavor that I love with savory chicken.

This recipe only requires a few ingredients and very little prep time, making it great for a busy weeknight meal in my opinion.

Pesto is a perfect option to give an extra punch of nutty, herby, and salty flavor to any dish, and it works especially well with chicken.

I’m a fan of serving this dish with crusty bread, as any extra pesto sauce makes for a wonderful dip!

This chicken tenderloin recipe is for those special occasions when you want something both comforting and exquisite.

The lemon-mushroom cream sauce adds a gourmet flair to the dish while still being easy and fast to prepare.

I recommend combining it with mashed potatoes or spaghetti for a complete and satisfying meal.

Chicken and bacon go so well together because of the juiciness of chicken tenderloin and the crispiness of well-cooked bacon.

Add jalapeno sauce to the mix for a spicy kick, and you get an undeniable winner for a delicious meal.

I’m big on making these chicken tenders with bacon jalapeno sauce for game days and day parties because they're always a hit.

Cornflake chicken is a classic dish that never goes out of style. It involves coating your chicken tenderloins in crushed cornflakes and baking them until crisp.

I often top mine with a drizzle of honey mustard for a little bit of tangy sweetness and serve it with some crunchy french fries and coleslaw.

It's a simple yet delicious meal that gets everyone smiling!

Cracker-Barrel inspired these grilled honey lime chicken tenders that are absolutely irresistible.

The honey-lime glaze gives sweetness and zing to the chicken, while the grilled texture makes it extra juicy.

I love eating these with mashed potatoes on the side or sauteed veggies like broccoli and zucchini.

This crispy chicken Cobb salad is the perfect lunch or dinner option when you want something light yet filling.

It's a good use of leftover chicken tenderloins, as the crispy and juicy texture is an ideal match for this salad.

Topped with onions, tomatoes, boiled eggs, and more, you get a dynamic, flavorful salad that won't leave you hungry.

Baking chicken tenders in the oven ensures a crispy texture without having to deep fry them.

The secret for golden, crunchy chicken tenders is to use panko breadcrumbs, as the recipe calls for. I also like to add Parmesan cheese for salty goodness that I can't get enough of!

Dorita chicken tenders are a fun spin on classic chicken tenders, incorporating the well-loved Doritos chip flavor and crunchiness.

I love making these for lunches on the weekends every now and then as a unique special treat.

Remember how I already sang praises for parmesan? When you add garlic to the mix, it gets even better!

Garlic parmesan chicken tenders are perfect for people who love bold flavors, as the garlic adds a nice kick. I usually enjoy these with spaghetti, roasted vegetables, or a big salad.

Sometimes, less is more, and these classic grilled chicken tenders prove that.

You only need four ingredients and 40 minutes of your time to achieve a well-marinated, ultra-juicy result.

These chicken tenders are great for a weeknight meal since you'll likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.

If simple sounds boring and you want to impress your friends, family, or just yourself, try out these potato chip-crusted chicken strips with homemade honey mustard dipping sauce.

I’m drawn to this dish when I feel like enjoying a range of spices, and I'm always surprised by how easy it is to make the honey mustard sauce from scratch!

This sheet pan honey balsamic chicken and vegetables is a great one-pan recipe for when you don't have much time to cook.

The honey and balsamic marinade infuse the chicken and vegetables with a sweet, tangy flavor that really makes this dish stand out.

Plus, the vegetables - bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini – add color to your plate.

Often, hot sauce and chicken are only combined when it comes to wings and aren't particularly crispy.

If you're hoping to find a dish with a bit of spiciness but still want crunch, try these sriracha chicken strips.

They’re coated in Sriracha hot sauce but still incorporate flour and breadcrumbs for a crispy finish.

A sticky chicken finger wrap is a terrific on-the-go dish that never fails to make my taste buds happy.

Kids adore these chicken finger wraps since they're sweet and savory all at once!

A combination of brown sugar and hot sauce makes the chicken tangy and delightful, while the cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato add extra flavor and dynamic textures to the mix.

Tex-Mex dishes always have a special place in my heart. These Tex-Mex chicken strips are an ideal marriage of Mexican and American cuisine, with a mix of cayenne and taco seasoning as well as butter and breadcrumbs.

I love serving these at backyard parties and other casual events, especially in the spring or summer.

Thai chicken lettuce wraps are the perfect weeknight meal because they are flavorful but still relatively healthy compared to other chicken tenderloin recipes.

Not only does it incorporate lettuce wraps, but it calls for various other veggies that make the meal nutritious and delicious!

Bisquick is usually known as an ingredient for pancakes and biscuits, but it can be used to make savory dishes, too! These Bisquick chicken fingers are a great example of this.

They rely on Bisquick mix, chicken tenderloins, and various seasonings to make a crispy, flavorful coating.

I’m fond of dipping these chicken fingers in a sweet plum sauce or honey mustard sauce.

Honey soy chicken tenderloins are a delicious and easy-to-make meal. The flavor combination of honey and soy sauce gives the dish a sweet, salty, and delectable taste.

This meal is well-loved by people of all ages, so it makes for a fantastic family-time meal.

When chicken tenders are "blackened," it means they are cooked on high heat with a mix of spices to give them that smoky, charred flavor.

I like to serve these blackened chicken tenders with some ranch dressing and a side of vegetables. It comes into its own during the winter when you don't mind heating your kitchen.

Lemon butter chicken tenders are a bright and flavorful meal that is perfect for casual weeknight dinners.

The best part is that this dish only requires a few ingredients, like butter and lemon juice, which you likely already have in your kitchen.

Garlic butter competes with lemon butter for my number-one favorite flavor! These garlic butter chicken tenders are a treat for my taste buds every time.

The coating of melted butter and minced garlic gives the chicken tenders a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.

What's better than a crunchy coating of Parmesan cheese? Not much! This parmesan chicken tenderloin delivers an irresistible flavor with each bite.

The combination of Panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese are a match made in heaven, especially when I serve it with buttery pasta.

Buttermilk fried chicken tenders are well-loved and time-tested because nobody can deny the great taste of a buttermilk marinade, especially when you include the seasonings this recipe calls for.

This dish is easy to make, and you can serve it for lunch, dinner, or even as a shared appetizer.

Nothing says "party" like Buffalo chicken tenders!

The combination of Frank's RedHot and some panko breadcrumbs make for a spicy and crunchy classic combo that's hard not to get seconds of (or thirds, or fourths.)

The addictiveness of these tenders makes them a party, game day, or barbecue favorite.

Lemon pepper chicken tenderloins are a versatile dish you can incorporate into meals at any time of day and year.

However, I prefer making them for dinner in the fall or winter because I find they go swimmingly with heavy, heartwarming side dishes like mashed potatoes or mac and cheese.

Pan-seared chicken tenderloins are a healthy, easy-to-make meal when you don't have much time.

The combination of key ingredients like olive oil, spices, and Cajun seasoning makes the dish dynamic and memorable. You'll be surprised it only takes 25 minutes in total!