How long to cook tenderloins in oven

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Our healthy baked chicken tenders (no breading) is the BEST way to enjoy flavorful chicken tenders that can be used in a variety of ways! If you have just 3 ingredients, and 20-minutes, you can make yourself these healthy tenders and create a meal that is a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!

How long to cook tenderloins in oven

Jump to:
  • Plain Baked Chicken Tenders
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Recipe Tips
  • Common Questions
  • More Chicken Tenders Recipes
  • Healthy Baked Chicken Tenders (No Breading)
 

Plain baked chicken tenders are something we love to keep in our fridge – and they are always on our list for a meal-prep day. When he is home, our college-aged son always knows where to look when he raids the fridge. 😉

Super versatile, baked chicken tenders without breading are the perfect finger food, quick snack, or easy lunch or dinner option. We love to use these healthy tenders in veggie wraps, to make a filling and delicious Cobb salad, or even to create a quick and easy chicken taco salad. Or, whip up a quick keto-friendly soup or casserole when you start with these low-carb chicken tenders.

No matter how you choose to utilize your baked chicken tenders (no breading), you are going to love how versatile and quick this recipe is!

Why You’ll Love This!

  • Seasoned with butter or oil and chicken rub, our baked chicken tenders no breading recipe is the perfect canvas for you to build a great-tasting meal on.
  • Our plain baked chicken tenders is the perfect recipe for those following gluten-free, keto, low-carb, and paleo lifestyles, as well as those who are looking for sugar-free meal ideas.
  • With a cook time of just 10-minutes, these chicken tenders ready faster than traditional breaded varieties.
  • The whole recipe needs just 3 ingredients and less than 20-minutes of your time.

Serve your gluten-free baked chicken tenders no breading with herbed potatoes and coleslaw for a quick and easy dinner that is bursting with flavor! If you want to stay low-carb, check out this amazing oven-roasted radish recipe in place of the potatoes.

Make meal-prep a breeze when you use our baked chicken tenders in this chicken crack soup or this cheesy chicken divan. Both of these recipes are low-carb and designed to help you meet your healthy eating goals – without sacrificing flavor!

On Keto? Grab our FREE keto foods list here OR  Snag our Keto  Binder HERE

Ingredient Notes

Chicken tenders, butter or oil, and some chicken seasoning, plus a few minutes in the oven – that’s all you need to create these baked chicken tenders without breading.

  • chicken tenders
  • butter – or oil
  • chicken rub
  • optional – dips such as BBQ or ranch

Variations

Chicken rub – create a variety of chicken tender flavors when you change your chicken seasoning to include Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, herbs, or other spices.

Diet Adaptions

  • Dairy-Free – use oil in place of the butter
How long to cook tenderloins in oven

Step by Step Instructions

While this baked chicken tenders no breading recipe is super easy, take a few minutes to read through our step-by-step instructions and recipe tips to ensure your baked chicken tenders come out perfect each and every time.

Prep Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 400F and put the oven rack in the center position.

Melt the butter.

Lay the raw chicken tenders on a baking sheet.

Assemble

Brush one side of the chicken tenders with olive oil or the melted butter.

Sprinkle chicken rub on the side that was just brushed with oil or melted butter.

Flip the chicken tenders over. Brush the second side of the chicken tenders with melted butter or oil and season.

Bake

Bake the chicken for a total of 10 minutes.

For best results, we do recommend flipping the chicken tenders after 5 minutes.

Be sure you cook your chicken tenders until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes until serving.

Recipe Tips

  • For best results, preheat your oven to 400F and make sure your oven rack is in the center position.
  • Season both sides of the chicken tenders to make your baked chicken tenders as flavorful as possible.
  • While flipping your baked chicken tenders no breading is not required, we do highly recommend flipping to ensure even cooking.
  • The best way to make sure your baked chicken tenders are cooked fully without overcooking is to use a digital meat thermometer.
  • Serve your low-carb baked chicken tenders with your favorite dips or sauces, add them to a salad or wrap, or create a quick and easy soup!
How long to cook tenderloins in oven

Common Questions

What to Serve with Oven Baked Chicken Tenderloins?

Baked chicken tenders (no breading) is always a good choice for dinner. Use your cooked tenders in salads or wraps, or create a quick and easy dinner when you serve your baked chicken tenders with oven-roasted potatoes and bacon curry coleslaw.

How Long Do Chicken Tenders Last?

If you have any leftover chicken tenders, you can store them for 4-5 days in the fridge in a covered container.

Can You Cook Tenders from Frozen?

Yes, you can! Just add a few minutes to the cooking time and be sure the internal temperature reaches 160F before serving.

More Chicken Tenders Recipes

Looking for more chicken tender recipes?

  • Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (no breading)
  • Pan Fried Chicken Tenders
  • Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Tenders
  • Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders

Please leave a review if you make our recipe! We love feedback from readers, plus it helps others too.

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Ingredients

  • 2 lb chicken tenders
  • 1/4 cup Butter, melted or olive oil
  • 2+ Tbsp Chicken rub

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and put the oven rack in the center position.
  2. Lay the raw chicken on a baking sheet.
  3. Brush one side of the chicken tenders with olive oil or the melted butter.
  4. Sprinkle chicken rub on the side that was just brushed with oil or melted butter.
  5. Flip the chicken tenders over and continue brushing with the oil or butter and sprinkle the 2nd side with chicken rub.
  6. Bake the chicken for a total of 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes, if desired but not required, and then continue cooking on the other side until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F.
  7. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes until serving.

Notes

Use in your favorite recipe like a chicken salad or eat them as a main dish alongside your favorite dipping sauce like BBQ..

Other seasonings to add- taco, lemon pepper, McCormicks spice blends

You can mix the olive oil and melted butter together instead of just using either or!

The chicken rub we used has a “tiny” bit of a kick, if don't mind the spice be generous with the rub. You can also do a light sprinkle of chicken rub or just coat one side.

Can you cook tenderloins in the oven?

Sure you can! When baking chicken tenderloins from frozen just add a few minutes to the baking time. Check the chicken's internal temperature to ensure it is 165ºF before removing them from the oven. Mix up the spices however you like.

What temp should chicken tenderloin be?

Make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees for safety. If you want them extra-crispy, drizzle them with some melted butter prior to baking.

How long do you bake chicken strips in the oven?

Using a conventional oven, it should take about 20 minutes to bake chicken tenders at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature allows the chicken to completely cook while keeping it moist and tender.

How long does it take to cook breast tenderloins?

Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Bake frozen tenderloins 30 to 35 minutes or until internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 170°F. (Bake thawed tenderloins 18 to 22 minutes.)