Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
The most juicy, tender chicken with the easiest marinade. Dijon, honey, olive oil, rosemary, lemon. THE BEST EVER.
With just a simple honey mustard marinade, this should only take 10 minutes to prep. And you’ll be so surprised as to how epic these chicken tenders are. They get marinated for 2-8 hours, then thrown on the grill, then finished off with the rest of the glaze, yielding that perfectly oh-so-sticky glaze. Serve with a salad, crusty bread, and all the wine before winter hits. It’s going to come fast!
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Time-saving recipe. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Marinate the chicken 2 hours in advance or overnight. Your future self will be thanking you.
- Sweet and sticky glaze. The chicken tenders will come out juicy, tender and flavorful every single time with the most epic (and super easy) honey mustard glaze.
- Versatile and flexible. This recipe will work with any part of the chicken – breast, thighs or tenderloins – whether it’s on the grill, on the stovetop or in the oven (more on that below).
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor. These can also be baked at 400°F for 15-20 minutes (reaching an internal temperature of 165°F), brushing with the reserved marinade during the last few minutes of cook time.
- Use chicken breasts. If tenderloins are not readily available at your local supermarket, chicken breasts can be used instead, cut into large strips about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick.
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage or basil) are ideal here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN TENDERS
- Warm Potato Salad
- Parmesan Zucchini and Corn
- The Best Potato Salad Ever
- Mexican Corn Dip
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
GRILLED HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN TENDERS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Chicken tenderloins (or chicken tenders) are long narrow strips of meat that can be found attached loosely underneath the breast against the rib bones. Chicken tenderloins are far more lean and tender than chicken breasts.
If chicken tenderloins are not readily available, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cutting them into thin large strips, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick.
Absolutely! You can substitute thyme (dried or fresh!) or any other herb of your choosing. And because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Yes! The chicken can be marinated overnight and placed in the fridge.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Ingredients
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together Dijon, shallot, honey, olive oil, rosemary, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside 1/2 of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and Dijon mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, up to 8 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
3. Preheat grill to medium heat.
4. Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8 minutes.
5. Brush with reserved Dijon mixture, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.
Featured Comment
Renee
37 more comments