Zesty Grilled Chicken Tenders Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep chicken tenders from drying out on the grill? ›

Olive Oil: This helps to keep the chicken tender and adds moisture. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed juice or buy it pre-squeezed. The acidity of the lemon helps to break down the fibers in the chicken so that they are super juicy when grilled. Thyme: This adds a nice herby flavor to the chicken.

The best tenderizer though, is a salted yogurt marinade. The salt has the same effect as in a regular brine, but the lactic acid in the yogurt further tenderizes the meat. A 15-minute marinade with one cup of yogurt and one teaspoon of salt makes for the most tender chicken breasts imaginable.

One of the keys for grilling the perfect, juicy chicken breast is to use organic chicken breast and marinate your chicken for 2-4 hours. As far as marinating chicken breast goes: The longer you marinate your chicken the better! A great marinade requires: Fat: from oil or even full fat yogurt or buttermilk.

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

Brine Before Grilling to Prevent Dry, Rubbery Chicken

Brining is simply submerging the chicken in a salt-water solution before grilling.

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

We recommend marinating your chicken in buttermilk or yogurt overnight, but if it's urgent, then an hour will do. However, the texture of the chicken won't be as even as chicken marinated overnight. The process is simple: you only have to immerse the chicken in a container with enough yogurt or buttermilk and seal it.

Tips for Perfectly Baked Chicken Tenders

Soak chicken in milk: If you want super tender and juicy chicken, make sure to soak the meat in milk or buttermilk for at least 15-30 minutes prior to baking. The enzymes in the milk help break down the protein in the meat, creating a super tender result.

Chinese stir-fried chicken is extra tender due to the velveting technique. Chicken is sliced into thin, even-sized pieces and then marinated briefly in a mix of baking soda, cornstarch, wine, and seasoning. This seals in moisture and tenderizes the chicken.

There are three key tricks: tenderize, marinate, and controlled cooking time. When you use all three of these methods, you will have succulent, moist chicken every time, and you can apply these strategies to other cuts of meat as well.

How to cook chicken so it falls apart? ›

Poaching is the best way to cook chicken for shredding. It's really fast and it keep the chicken moist so that it's tender enough to shred. Add boneless skinless chicken breasts to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

How do you grill chicken breast without drying it out? Brining is the secret to juicy grilled chicken breasts. It requires a bit of extra time, but the soak in the a brine helps to tenderize the meat, which makes it less tough once it's grilled. Also, a brine is a great way to add flavor if you want.

Brining is especially great for frying chicken. It gives you crispier skin while keeping the meat juicy on the inside. Make your brine by dissolving salt and sugar in water before adding the chicken. Make sure to use lukewarm water.

You're Overcooking Them

An unpleasantly dry, chalky texture. Where chicken thighs may give you a little bit more leeway when it comes to cooking them longer than necessary (because they're a fattier cut), breasts don't give you that same liberty.