Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders are chicken tenderloins coated in a spicy olive oil marinade, that are seared in a pan on the stove, and finished with honey, minced fresh garlic and some torn parsley.
If you’re looking for an easy chicken recipe that’s tender, juicy, sweet and spicy, Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders are a must-try.
We try to eat healthy meals throughout the week, and this chicken, with just a touch of honey sweetness, is virtually guilt-free. I also make this pan-seared chicken tenders recipe a lot!
Since these chicken strips are naturally smaller than chicken breasts, they cook up fast, as in 10-minutes-fast, making them a great weeknight dinner option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Lots of flavor. Say goodbye to bland chicken. These chicken tenders are seasoned with a variety of spices and fresh garlic, with sweet honey to balance it out.
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. These chicken tenders are pan-seared in olive oil for a nice crisp bite on the outside. And they don’t dry out since they reach safe chicken temperature (165°F) in about 10 minutes.
Great for meal prep. If you like to prep meals in advance, honey garlic chicken tenders are a great protein option, especially when combined with a healthy roasted vegetable (like the sweet potatoes you see in the pictures).
You can even cut the tenders into cubes before cooking, for easy eating.
Healthy & Delicious. This recipe proves that healthy can taste amazing! I love that the herbs and spices add a ton of flavor without many calories. And the olive oil is full of monounsaturated fatty acids (the good stuff).
While you may want to skip the honey if you’re on a low-carb diet, this 4-serving recipe only calls for a single tablespoon.
Ingredients Needed
- chicken tenderloins
- olive oil
- honey
- fresh garlic
- flat-leaf parsley
- seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper flakes)
Chicken Tenderloins – We eat a lot of chicken tenderloins, so I buy them when they’re on sale and stash them in my freezer. Each package usually contains about eight strips.
You will need to remove the tendon from each tenderloin.
It’s easy. Just place the end of the white tendon between two tines on a fork, then grab hold of it with a paper towel and tug it straight out. (Take a look at this pan-seared chicken tenderloin recipe for photos showing how it’s done.)
Olive Oil – Olive oil is a great option for sautéing chicken. It’s healthy, adds flavor, and has a smoke point high enough for this method of cooking.
I use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) since that’s what we always have on-hand. While the smoke point of EVOO is a bit lower than regular olive oil, it’s still perfectly fine for sautéing chicken.
Honey – Use your favorite honey. The recipe only calls for a tablespoon.
Minced Garlic – I recommend using fresh garlic cloves. Jarred minced garlic does not have the same intensity of flavor.
Fresh Parsley – Opt for flat-leaf Italian parsley if possible. Curly-leaf parsley tends to have more of a bitter taste.
Seasonings – In addition to salt and black pepper, you will need garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (smoked or regular), and red pepper flakes (optional).
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Tenderloins
- Remove tendon from each tenderloin by grabbing it with a paper towel and pulling it straight out. (It helps to place the tendon between the tines of a fork pressed against the end of the chicken when removing the tendon.)
- Place full chicken tenderloins in a shallow glass or non-plastic dish. (You can cut into cubes, if preferred.) To the chicken add half the olive oil and all the seasonings. Mix until all sides of the chicken are coated. If you have time, marinate the chicken for 15 minutes, otherwise cook immediately.
- Pre-heat a large skillet over medium, then add remaining olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). When the olive oil is warm (it will shimmer), place each piece of chicken into the pan. (The chicken should sizzle. If not, the oil is not hot enough.) Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Chicken should be crispy on both sides.
- Reduce heat, then add honey, garlic and parsley, being careful not to burn the garlic. You may optionally add about a half tablespoon of butter for more flavor, if desired. Mix around to coat the chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Seasoning the chicken strips.
You really don’t need to make the marinade in a separate dish before pouring it over the chicken.
I just dump everything in a single dish and stir it around until all sides are coated.
If you have time, let the chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes before cooking. But it’s not a deal-breaker if you cook it straight away.
Cooking the chicken tenderloins.
Recipe Notes
Always pre-heat the skillet before adding oil. You know the skillet is hot enough when a drop of water dances across it.
Make sure oil is hot enough before adding chicken to skillet. The oil will begin to shimmer when it’s warm enough. Additionally, the meat should sizzle when you place it in the pan. If it doesn’t, let the oil heat up more before putting in the remaining tenderloins.
Reduce the heat to low before adding garlic to the skillet. Garlic burns easily. If desired, you can add some butter along with the garlic, honey and parsley.
Chicken is safe to eat when it’s reached an internal temperature of 165°F. It’s best to verify with a meat thermometer and not cook just by time.
Let the chicken tenderloins rest a few minutes after cooking. This way, the juices can redistribute throughout the meat, making it even more tender.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Honey Garlic Chicken Tenderloins
This Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders recipe is sweet and spicy, loaded with flavor, and only take about 15 minutes to make. Chicken tenderloins are pan-seared in olive oil, and finished with honey, fresh garlic and parsley, for an easy dinner that's as healthy as it is delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, about 8 tenders
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, optional
Instructions
- Remove tendon from each tenderloin by grabbing it with a paper towel and pulling it straight out. (It helps to place the tendon between the tines of a fork pressed against the end of the chicken when removing the tendon.)
- Place full chicken tenderloins in a shallow glass or non-plastic dish. (You can cut into cubes, if preferred.) To the chicken add half the olive oil and all the seasonings. Mix until all sides of the chicken are coated. If you have time, marinate the chicken for 15 minutes, otherwise cook immediately.
- Pre-heat a large skillet over medium, then add remaining olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan). When the olive oil is warm (it will shimmer), place each piece of chicken into the pan. (The chicken should sizzle. If not, the oil is not hot enough.) Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Chicken should be crispy on both sides.
- Reduce heat, then add honey, garlic and parsley, being careful not to burn the garlic. You may optionally add about a half tablespoon of butter for more flavor, if desired. Mix around to coat the chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Notes
- Pre-heat the skillet before adding oil. You know the skillet is hot enough when a drop of water dances across it.
- Make sure oil is hot enough before adding chicken to skillet. The oil will begin to shimmer when it's warm enough. Additionally, the meat should sizzle when you place it in the pan. If it doesn't, let the oil heat up more before putting in the remaining tenderloins.
- Reduce the heat to low before adding garlic to the skillet. Garlic burns easily. If desired, you can add some butter along with the garlic, honey and parsley.
- Chicken is safe to eat when it's reached an internal temperature of 165°F. It's best to verify with a meat thermometer and not cook just by time.
- Rest the chicken tenderloins for a few minutes after cooking. This way, the juices can redistribute throughout the meat, making it even more tender.