Pan Seared Chicken Tenderloins are a game-changer if you’re looking for a healthy white chicken recipe that’s quick and easy to make, comes out moist, and has lots of flavor.
This recipe takes chicken tenders that are generously seasoned, and sears them in olive oil until they’re crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
There’s no deep-frying, unhealthy fats or breading involved!
I used to only cook chicken breast meat on the stove, but once I discovered how ridiculously easy chicken tenders are to make, I haven’t turned back.
I make pan-seared chicken tenders at least twice per week so at this point I consider myself somewhat of an expert.
And I love that with minimal effort, I can make a guilt-free meal that’s perfect for weeknight dinners when I’m crunched for time.
Why You’ll Love Making Pan-Seared Chicken Strips in a Skillet
Quick – It only takes 8-10 minutes for pan-seared chicken tenderloins to reach an internal temp of 165°F on the stove.
Healthy – This stove-top recipe is simply chicken, spices and olive oil. There is no saturated fat, flour or sugar added, and absolutely no breading or deep-frying involved.
Versatile – Whether you chop the chicken for salads, shred it for soups or eat it with a dipping sauce, it’s easy to change the flavor by seasoning it with different spices. I like to use oregano when adding the chicken to Greek salad. Or I sprinkle on my homemade taco seasoning when using it for chicken taco salad.
Juicier than chicken breast – I don’t know about you, but I have a bad habit of drying out chicken breast when making it on the stove, especially if it’s thick. Smaller chicken tenderloins come out juicy every time.
Great for meal prep – I’m a big fan of meal prep and portion control and love that a package of meat almost always has eight chicken tenderloins. This way I can cook them up and put two per container along with a healthy vegetable like roasted sweet potatoes.
Looking for more chicken tenders recipes? Try my easy recipe for honey garlic chicken tenders. It’s sweet, spicy and tastes amazing.
Ingredients Needed
- chicken tenderloins
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- blend of dried spices (oregano, garlic powder, onion powder & paprika)
What are chicken tenderloins?
Chicken tenders are a thin piece of white muscle near the chicken breast attached with a thin white tendon (which you’ll want to remove.)
They taste like chicken breast, but are not as thick, are more narrow, and cook quickly.
Removing the tendon is easy with a fork and paper towel. Place a fork against the end of a tender with the tendon between two fork tines. Grab hold of the slippery tendon with a paper towel and gently pull it out of the chicken tender.
Why you should pan fry the chicken using olive oil.
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats (the good kind), polyphenols (also good) and is considered heart-healthy.
It has a distinct flavor which enhances the grilled chicken, and most importantly, there’s no reason to cook otherwise healthy chicken and spices in saturated fat (the bad kind).
My recommendation is to always use olive oil whenever possible.
Love olive oil? Then you should to try my marinated mozzarella balls recipe and this one for marinated olives. They both taste amazing!
Best spices for chicken strips.
For the most basic pan-seared chicken strips, I season them salt, pepper and oregano. But I also like to add in garlic powder, onion powder and paprika for even more flavor.
Sometimes I substitute the oregano with rosemary.
The key is, use spices you enjoy, because each tender is coated in a generous amount.
For a spicy kick, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. For a more Mexican flare, try my homemade chili spice blend or sprinkle on some cumin. Lemon pepper would be a great addition for light, summer meals or salads.
You really can’t go wrong.
How to Cook Chicken Tenders on the Stove
- Remove tendon from each tenderloin and blot the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Make the seasoning mix by combining salt, pepper and all the spices in a small bowl.
- Season the tenderloins generously on all sides with the dry spice mixture.
- Heat a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat for at least 2 minutes. Add olive oil. Once the oil is hot (1-2 minutes), add chicken to the pan. It should sizzle when added, otherwise the oil isn’t hot enough.
- Cook 4 minutes per side, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat and let tenders rest a few minutes before slicing.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Recipe Notes
- For a crispy “crust,” blot dry the chicken tenders with a paper towel before seasoning.
- Do not add chicken to skillet until the oil has been heated enough that the chicken sizzles when placed in it. You know it’s ready when a small water droplet evaporates quickly.
- Do not use a lid. That will create steam and the chicken won’t be as crispy on the outside.
- It takes about 10 minutes to cook pan-seared chicken tenders, but verify that they’ve reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F before eating.
- This blend of seasonings is all-purpose. Switch them up as desired. You really can’t go wrong.
- For efficiency, make the spice mix and season the chicken while the pan and oil are heating up.
What to Serve with Pan Fried Chicken Tenders
What I love about these basic chicken tenders is how versatile they are. Here are some suggestions on how to enjoy them.
- Serve with dipping sauce, barbecue sauce, or ranch dressing on the side.
- Enjoy with vegetables, salads or rice. For a healthy meal i love pan-seared chicken tenders with roasted sweet potatoes.
- Use as a protein for salads like this Portillo’s copycat chopped salad. Or season the chicken with my homemade chili seasoning mix and add to this southwest salad.
- Add to pasta. Chicken is a great way to make this 15-minute cherry tomato pasta even more filling.
- Add to soup. You can always shred a rotisserie chicken for soup, but tenders work great too.
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More Easy Dinner Recipes
Pan-Seared Chicken Tenderloins (10-Minute Recipe)
This chicken tenderloin recipe features perfectly seasoned chicken tenders that are made without breading, seared in healthy olive oil, and cooked in a skillet on the stove in just 10 minutes. These crispy on-the-outside, juicy on-the-inside chicken tenders make an easy weeknight dinner that you can feel good about.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Remove tendon from each tenderloin and blot the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Make the seasoning mix by combining salt, pepper and all the spices in a small bowl.
- Season the tenderloins generously on all sides with the dry spice mixture.
- Heat a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat for at least 2 minutes. Add olive oil. Once the oil is hot (1-2 minutes), add chicken to the pan. It should sizzle when added, otherwise the oil isn't hot enough.
- Cook 4 minutes per side, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat and let tenders rest a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For a crispy "crust," blot dry the chicken tenders with a paper towel before seasoning.
- Do not add chicken to skillet until the oil has been heated enough that the chicken sizzles when placed in it. You know it's ready when a small water droplet evaporates quickly.
- Do not use a lid. That will create steam and the chicken won't be as crispy on the outside.
- It takes about 10 minutes to cook pan-seared chicken tenders, but verify that they've reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F before eating.
- This blend of seasonings is all-purpose. Switch them up as desired. You really can't go wrong.
- For efficiency, make the spice mix and season the chicken while the pan and oil are heating up.