If you’re looking for an easy and delicious way to increase the amount of protein you eat without adding much fat, these chicken tenderloins are what you’ve been searching for. They’re simple to make, can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and go with just about any meal. For the health-conscious cooks out there, these homemade chicken tenderloins are a lot healthier than the deep fried frozen chicken tenders you’ll find at the grocery store. One chicken tenderloin adds about 14 grams of protein and only a gram and half of fat. This recipe calls for cooking the chicken tenders in extra virgin olive oil, which does add a small amount of fat—but it’s a worthwhile choice. EVOO is a minimally processed, heart-healthy monounsaturated fat known for its anti-inflammatory properties and support of cardiovascular health. It’s certainly a step up from the highly processed, pro-inflammatory ingredients commonly used in most prepared chicken tenders in the freezer section of your grocery store.
Meal Prep
Chicken tenderloins are great for meal prep because their small size allows them to cook quickly compared to chicken breast. Although you could easily cut back on the amount of tenderloins you cook and make only enough for one meal, I recommend stepping up your meal prep game and batch cooking chicken tenderloins instead. Batch cooking, cooking an item in bulk, is always a winning strategy for successful meal prep and allows you to make enough food for multiple meals in a relatively short amount of time. While batch cooking does take a bit more time upfront, it pays off in the long run. Having extra protein prepped and ready in the fridge or freezer makes it so much easier to pull together a quick, nourishing meal on those hectic days when dinner doesn’t go as planned.
My Meal Prep
I like to grab a large package of chicken tenderloins at Costco—it’s usually around six pounds, so plenty to work with! I cook the whole batch at once, then divide it into three containers: two go into the freezer for quick, ready-to-go protein in the weeks ahead, and one stays in the fridge for easy meals throughout the current week. If batch cooking isn’t your style, no problem—you can simply scale down the recipe to prep just enough for one week or even a single day.
What to Serve with Chicken Tenderloins
These chicken tenderloins are seasoned with garlic salt and black pepper, making them incredibly versatile—they pair well with just about anything and easily take on the flavors of whatever dish you’re serving. If you’re not batch cooking, feel free to tailor the seasoning to your meal. For example, try taco seasoning if you’re using them in tacos.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy chicken tenderloins…
-Quality protein topping for a salad
-Protein in a grain bowl
-Tossed in a pasta dish
-Diced for chicken tacos
-Chopped in a chicken and veggie wrap
-Served as a part of a balanced plate along with a starch, non-starchy veggies and healthy fat.
-Paired with a yummy dipping sauce like spicy green sauce
Their versatility is part of what makes them so great for meal prep. It’s nice to have them prepped in the freezer because they defrost quickly in the microwave and can be used in a pinch when life happens and your meal plan doesn’t go according to plan.
How to Prepare Chicken Tenderloins
Start by trimming the tendon off each tenderloin with kitchen shears. The tendon has a rubbery, chewy texture, so while you don’t have to remove the tendon before cooking, I recommend doing so to avoid the unappetizing texture.
If you’re cooking in bulk, place all the tenderloins in a 13×9 glass pyrex and season them with salt and pepper on both sides. I prefer to put raw meat in glass so that I can wash the dish in the dishwasher when I’m done. We don’t use the dishwasher for metal or plastic containers so glass is my go-to for marinating or storing raw meat.
Place a drizzle of oil in a skillet, about a teaspoon. You don’t have to measure here, just don’t go overboard because although extra virgin olive oil is nutritious, remember, it’s still a source of fat and therefore calorie dense.
Next place one layer of tenderloins in a skillet. I prefer a cast iron skillet, but any skillet will work. You can crowd them together to cook as many as possible at one time but make sure they don’t overlap.
Turn your stove on medium and allow the tenderloins to cook for about 5 minutes then flip them over and allow them to finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. While they are cooking, slide them around with your spatula or tongs to prevent them from sticking and falling apart.
After one batch is done, remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the tenderloins to a container to store. Then add a little more oil to the skillet and start the process again with your next set of tenderloins.
Continue this process until all the tenderloins are cooked. Keep in mind that batch cooking naturally takes more time than preparing a single meal. The total time will vary depending on the size of your skillet and how many pieces you can cook at once. Just do what fits your schedule—it’s perfectly fine if you don’t get through the whole package in one session. As I mentioned earlier, having extra portions in the freezer is a lifesaver on busy days when cooking from scratch isn’t an option and fast food isn’t what you want. Even if you can’t tackle a full Costco-sized pack, cooking enough to get you through the week is still a smart way to meal prep and set yourself up for success.
Juicy Meal Prep Chicken Tenderloins
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or preferred skillet
Ingredients
- 6 lbs Chicken tenderloins boneless, skinless
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tsp garlic salt
- 3 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Trim fat/tendon from the chicken and sprinkle both sides with garlic salt and ground black pepper. Rub the spices into the chicken
- Warm the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium and place first batch of chicken in the skillet. Make sure the chicken is not overlapping, but it's ok if they touch.
- Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for an addition 4 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165o F.
- Remove the tenderloins from the pan to a storage container.
- Add the next batch of tenderloins to the skillet and continue the same process until all the chicken has been cooked.
- Label your storage containers with the date and "chicken tenderloins". Keep some in the refrigerator for meals for the week and place the remaining containers in the freezer.