Chicken Tenders Recipe

Name: Silver Spring House Restaurants Chicken Tenders Recipe
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (or tenders); 1 cup fresh orange juice; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 pcs garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 4 pcs lemon or lime wedges; 1 tsp neutral oil for grill pan (canola/vegetable)

Inspired by Silver Spring House Restaurant

Time55m

Serves4

Tender, free – range chicken, marinated in citrus juices and spices then grilled to perfection!

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Marinade & Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (or tenders)

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

3 pcs Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

1 tbsp Honey

Finish & Garnish

2 tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 pcs lemon or lime wedges

1 tsp neutral oil for grill pan (canola/vegetable)

Method

Marinade & Chicken

Prepare chicken

Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. Trim any connective tissue so pieces are relatively even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). If some tenders are much thicker, slice them in half lengthwise for even cooking.

Mix marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper and honey until combined and slightly emulsified.

Marinate chicken

Place the chicken tenders in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, pressing out excess air if using a bag and sealing. Massage so each piece is coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. (Do not exceed 6 hours — the citrus will begin to 'cook' and firm the meat.)

Grill & Finish

Preheat grill

About 20 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from refrigerator to take the chill off. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 205°C) or heat a heavy grill pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the grates or pan with the neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Grill tenders

Remove tenders from the marinade, letting excess drip off (discard used marinade). Place tenders on the hot grill or grill pan in a single layer without crowding. Grill 2.5–3.5 minutes per side, flipping once, until exterior has nice grill marks and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Cooking time varies with thickness — smaller tenders may take closer to 5 minutes total, thicker ones up to 8 minutes.

Rest

Transfer cooked tenders to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute; final carryover cooking should bring them fully to temperature.

Garnish & serve

Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley over the tenders and serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately.