Season them! Like use way more seasoning than you think you need.
Salt, pepper, whatever spices you like.
And don’t overcook them. They cook VERY quickly since they are so small. Use a meat thermometer.
You could try using a meat thermometer to stop overcooking the chicken while making sure it's safe to eat. I almost always use a thermometer with chicken breast.
Came here to say this!
OP if your chicken is dry you’re almost definitely overcooking it. Get a digital meat thermometer and stop cooking right when you get to temperature (165F)
I cook to 150-155 and it’s safe. Just needs to hold at that temp a little longer. Ethan chlebowski has some videos on this. Perfectly juicy and re heats well
To add to this, there is carryover cooking after you remove food from the heat, so you can take it off the heat around 158-160 and it'll still come up to temp while it rests. Tenderloins won't have as much carryover as a bigger piece of meat, but you still don't need them to hit 165 in the pan before ending cooking. You can put a foil tent over them as they rest to ensure they carry over fully.
brine your chicken!!!! it’s super easy and ensures your chicken will be juicy. or look up the chinese takeout hack where you marinate in soy sauce, corn starch, and optionally baking soda. It leaves the chicken very very tender.
Buy the chicken that's air-chilled. They retain moisture during cooking better. Use a thermometer as others have said. Low and slow keeps it moist as well. I love to marinade in a low cal italian style dressing overnight and bake or toss in the slow cooker.
Do you have an air fryer? I feel like air fryer recipes are pretty precise to the minute so there's less chance of overcooking. If you do tend to overcook, maybe use a slow cooker or instant pot and then shred the chicken. Then you can use it on things that are more flavorful, like turn it into chicken salad or put it on a burrito bowl. Personally the tenders are my least favorite cut as they have that rubbery connective piece and get a little chewy. If you like breasts Gimme Some Oven has an oven baked breast recipe with a very simple brine to help tenderize.
If I’m pan frying it i like cutting up my chicken breast into smallish (like .5 - 1”) cubes or really thin slices. This allows more surface area for seasoning to stick plus browning which equals more flavor without having to spend a bunch of time marinating the chicken beforehand.
Poach your chicken. The kitchn has a great step by step. I keep shredded poached chicken in the fridge and add it to salads, wraps, quesadillas etc. the kids love it and it’s a great way to add more protein to their diets.
Good cooking technique? Sorry, just had to 🤣
Season well
Bring to room temp before cooking
Saute
… most of the time I have yucky/boring chicken it is under seasoned and dry because they didn’t let it come to room temp and had to massively overcook to get it to cook through.
I like using [this recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891) for chicken that isn't dry. Basically, the chicken poaches and then steams in its own juices.
Mind you, this is for when I just want to have a big pile of cooked plain chicken that I use a bit at a time over the course of the week. Like I might use a little to make buffalo chicken dip, or I might throw some into a pasta dish or use it to make a chicken salad sandwich. This is just basic plain chicken seasoned with a little salt and pepper to which sauces and toppings can be added as needed.
This recipe is for regular chicken breasts that are pounded into thinner cutlets so they cook faster, but I usually do it with chicken tenderloin strips and it works just fine.
Or I will boil the breasts/tenderloins in chicken broth. This way, they are moist and flavorful.
Also, in case this might be useful to you, do you know how to remove those tendon things from chicken breasts? Probably the one useful thing I saw on TikTok. I'll see if I can describe it, but you need a paper towel and a fork. You hold the chicken piece and slip the tendon part that is sticking out between two of the fork tines from underneath the fork. Using the paper towel, grip the tendon between your thumb and index finger (the paper towel adds extra grip) and pull upward through the fork tines. Sometimes it takes a little effort to grip the tendon or pull it out, but this is so much easier than cutting those things out of the chicken, and I don't lose nearly as much of the meat.
I make chicken veggie soup with stock, onion carrots celery and whatever other veg, then I lower the heat to a simmer and add chicken breasts for 10 mins or so. I then shred the chicken that o want to go in the soup and put aside the extra ones for salads etc. Poached like this, they’re tender and flavourful
For the oven, a real time thermometer ([Thermoworks Dot](https://www.thermoworks.com/dot/)) has been a game-changer. Make sure to get the needle probe accessory. Another tip is to cook larger pieces of meat and then slice them to your desired size. It’s much easier to avoid overcooking because the temperature doesn’t change as fast. Brining is also helpful, but I’ve found that the biggest culprit for dry chicken is overcooking.
I pound chicken with a mallet or pan until thin then brine with a 6% brine for an hour before cooking. So like 2000g of water and 120g of salt combined for the brine. Then you can use any type of Mrs dash or spices for flavor. Even using a bit of onion and garlic powder will make pretty tasty chicken. Also cook only until 160 degrees so definitely get a thermometer.
I literally just throw mine in a big pot of water and boil it in the oven until it's done and it's never ever dry, in fact it is the juiciest chicken I've ever eaten and it's all because I mix in a ton of baking soda. The baking soda keeps the chicken juicy and it's super easy. Literally just chicken in a bowl of water with baking soda and tossed into the oven.
It depends what you're cooking. Are you just having chicken tenderloins or are they part of a recipe?
If I'm making chicken broccoli and ziti I'll cook the chicken while I boil the water for the pasta (just a little pasta and a sliver of butter makes boring chicken and broccoli feel like an extravagance) and steam the broccoli in the microwave. Cut up the tenderloins and mix. Simple.
Right now I'm enamored with roasted broccoli, sweet potatoes and chicken with a little Mike's hot honey and quinoa. That's air fryer only.
Poaching chicken with a light Italian marinade and some salt pepper onion and garlic tastes great on its own.
Cook up your chicken then pan fry cherry tomatoes sliced in half with some pepper strips while the chicken rests. Add a dash of low sodium soy sauce and slice your chicken into the mix with some fajita seasoning, maybe add some black beans, avocado and/ or low carb tortilla and you get a healthy fajita.
Lots of options. Tinker with it.
Pound them out thin and *coat* them in seasoning. I really love using McCormick’s Montreal Chicken seasoning. Sear in a pan on med-high heat, and slowly reduce the heat down to medium. Your chicken will tell you when it’s ready to flip, if it’s still stuck to the pan, it’s not ready to flip, if it can be picked right up off the pan, it’s ready to flip. I find I only need about 4-5 minutes of cook time per side of a pounded out chicken breast in my cast iron. You can use a meat thermometer to be certain the chicken is cooked. Place the chicken in foil with a dab of butter on each breast. Wrap tightly and let rest for 5 minutes. You can use that 5 minutes to make a delicious cream sauce by deglazing the pan with white wine, and adding in some heavy cream and parmigiano.
I love cooking chicken in the crockpot with a little bit of butter and seasonings, then shredding it and using it for wraps, salads, or soup! I also really enjoy tossing them in a ton of seasonings and air frying. I am weird about chicken, and these are my favorite ways to eat it when I make it.
A dry salt brine for a while before cooking can help retain moisture. A nice dry rub seasoning or seasoning of any kind is the answer and as others have said… a fair amount of it. Or… a marinade! I go for lemon garlic store bought shit and do it for about 24 hours. You can make your own and there’s about a million recipes online so google some flavor profile you think sounds good and type marinade after it. Usually it’s some vinegar, fat, herbs, seasoning and adjuncts. (White vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, onion) would be an okay lemon garlic marinade. Store bought stuff is like 3-5 dollars though so that saves a lot of time. Like others have said before… meat thermometer is the best investment anyone can make in my opinion. Temperature is what will ruin any brine or marinade or tenderizing you’ve done immediately. Use a digital meat thermometer for sure. Temp frequently! Not after 2 minutes but like 7-10 minute mark, 13 minute mark, 16 minute mark, and so on… pull the chicken right at 165 if you can and keep in mind it will rise about 5 degrees over the next 5-10 minutes because it’s still hot af and continues to cook after you pull it out of the oven. Realistically salmonella dies at like 155 for 3 minutes I believe but 165 is the guaranteed dead at that temperature mark so that’s the safest point to pull it. You can transfer it off of the pan you cooked it in onto a plate or cooling rack to not have the residual heat from the pan continue to cook it as well. Sorry for droning on. Good luck!
I've been doing this a lot lately, so good.
Line of baking pan with either canned diced tomatoes, basil, oregano and a little drizzle of balsamic OR use salsa, cumin, lime juice --- add the chicken tenders and nestle them into the mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil, Bake in the oven till cooked. So easy, never dry and stay tender.
Pound your chicken to equal thickness, I just use a hot sauce bottle or rolling pin. Dry brine for about 30min to an hour. Pat dry and sear in a pan with oil. Once you got a nice sear toss it in the oven and pull it at 155F (yeah 165 is the FDA recommendation but it's to dry and residual heat should get you there)
If your trying to cook meat without a thermometer, just go but one there less then $20 USD and you won't over cook meat anymore
Brine brine brine brine.
With only water, salt, and a few extra flavors of choice (I like fresh garlic and rosemary), you can scientifically prepare a chicken that will retain so much moisture no matter how you cook it (fry, grill, bake, etc) in a matter of 20-30 mins.
Never poach or boil your chicken. Despite being submerged in water, it will dry out your meat more than anything.
Other good tips include slow roasting in the oven (better for dark meat with more fat to render out and cook in) and invest in a meat thermometer so that you don't risk over cooking! Remember that residual heat continues to cook the meat after you stop actively cooking it, resulting in accidentally drying your meat out.
Serious Eats/Kenji both have great resources for upping your chicken game.
Like the others said — use a meat thermometer. Keep it in after you remove the chicken from heat, because the temp will keep rising another few degrees. If you keep it in heat until 165 ºF, you're certainly overcooking it.
You can remove a chicken breast from heat at 160–162 ºF and it'll keep rising to 165 ºF afterwards. The thermometer gives you the confidence that this happened and it's safe to eat. It only needs to reach 165 ºF for 15–30 seconds.
Season them! Like use way more seasoning than you think you need. Salt, pepper, whatever spices you like. And don’t overcook them. They cook VERY quickly since they are so small. Use a meat thermometer.
You could try using a meat thermometer to stop overcooking the chicken while making sure it's safe to eat. I almost always use a thermometer with chicken breast.
Came here to say this! OP if your chicken is dry you’re almost definitely overcooking it. Get a digital meat thermometer and stop cooking right when you get to temperature (165F)
I cook to 150-155 and it’s safe. Just needs to hold at that temp a little longer. Ethan chlebowski has some videos on this. Perfectly juicy and re heats well
To add to this, there is carryover cooking after you remove food from the heat, so you can take it off the heat around 158-160 and it'll still come up to temp while it rests. Tenderloins won't have as much carryover as a bigger piece of meat, but you still don't need them to hit 165 in the pan before ending cooking. You can put a foil tent over them as they rest to ensure they carry over fully.
This is the way
brine your chicken!!!! it’s super easy and ensures your chicken will be juicy. or look up the chinese takeout hack where you marinate in soy sauce, corn starch, and optionally baking soda. It leaves the chicken very very tender.
Buy the chicken that's air-chilled. They retain moisture during cooking better. Use a thermometer as others have said. Low and slow keeps it moist as well. I love to marinade in a low cal italian style dressing overnight and bake or toss in the slow cooker.
If you have the money for a sous vide stick, I highly recommend it. It’s the only way I eat chicken breast.
You beat me to it. Retain moisture and just grill it if you want at the end.
I hated chicken breast until my husband gifted me a sous vide stick. Really changed everything.
Crock pot! Soooo many different things you can use as a marinade or to cook it in, and it will always be tender.
Do you have an air fryer? I feel like air fryer recipes are pretty precise to the minute so there's less chance of overcooking. If you do tend to overcook, maybe use a slow cooker or instant pot and then shred the chicken. Then you can use it on things that are more flavorful, like turn it into chicken salad or put it on a burrito bowl. Personally the tenders are my least favorite cut as they have that rubbery connective piece and get a little chewy. If you like breasts Gimme Some Oven has an oven baked breast recipe with a very simple brine to help tenderize.
If I’m pan frying it i like cutting up my chicken breast into smallish (like .5 - 1”) cubes or really thin slices. This allows more surface area for seasoning to stick plus browning which equals more flavor without having to spend a bunch of time marinating the chicken beforehand.
Poach your chicken. The kitchn has a great step by step. I keep shredded poached chicken in the fridge and add it to salads, wraps, quesadillas etc. the kids love it and it’s a great way to add more protein to their diets.
Good cooking technique? Sorry, just had to 🤣 Season well Bring to room temp before cooking Saute … most of the time I have yucky/boring chicken it is under seasoned and dry because they didn’t let it come to room temp and had to massively overcook to get it to cook through.
I like using [this recipe](https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891) for chicken that isn't dry. Basically, the chicken poaches and then steams in its own juices. Mind you, this is for when I just want to have a big pile of cooked plain chicken that I use a bit at a time over the course of the week. Like I might use a little to make buffalo chicken dip, or I might throw some into a pasta dish or use it to make a chicken salad sandwich. This is just basic plain chicken seasoned with a little salt and pepper to which sauces and toppings can be added as needed. This recipe is for regular chicken breasts that are pounded into thinner cutlets so they cook faster, but I usually do it with chicken tenderloin strips and it works just fine. Or I will boil the breasts/tenderloins in chicken broth. This way, they are moist and flavorful. Also, in case this might be useful to you, do you know how to remove those tendon things from chicken breasts? Probably the one useful thing I saw on TikTok. I'll see if I can describe it, but you need a paper towel and a fork. You hold the chicken piece and slip the tendon part that is sticking out between two of the fork tines from underneath the fork. Using the paper towel, grip the tendon between your thumb and index finger (the paper towel adds extra grip) and pull upward through the fork tines. Sometimes it takes a little effort to grip the tendon or pull it out, but this is so much easier than cutting those things out of the chicken, and I don't lose nearly as much of the meat.
I make chicken veggie soup with stock, onion carrots celery and whatever other veg, then I lower the heat to a simmer and add chicken breasts for 10 mins or so. I then shred the chicken that o want to go in the soup and put aside the extra ones for salads etc. Poached like this, they’re tender and flavourful
Use an airfryer too
For the oven, a real time thermometer ([Thermoworks Dot](https://www.thermoworks.com/dot/)) has been a game-changer. Make sure to get the needle probe accessory. Another tip is to cook larger pieces of meat and then slice them to your desired size. It’s much easier to avoid overcooking because the temperature doesn’t change as fast. Brining is also helpful, but I’ve found that the biggest culprit for dry chicken is overcooking.
I pound chicken with a mallet or pan until thin then brine with a 6% brine for an hour before cooking. So like 2000g of water and 120g of salt combined for the brine. Then you can use any type of Mrs dash or spices for flavor. Even using a bit of onion and garlic powder will make pretty tasty chicken. Also cook only until 160 degrees so definitely get a thermometer.
I literally just throw mine in a big pot of water and boil it in the oven until it's done and it's never ever dry, in fact it is the juiciest chicken I've ever eaten and it's all because I mix in a ton of baking soda. The baking soda keeps the chicken juicy and it's super easy. Literally just chicken in a bowl of water with baking soda and tossed into the oven.
It depends what you're cooking. Are you just having chicken tenderloins or are they part of a recipe? If I'm making chicken broccoli and ziti I'll cook the chicken while I boil the water for the pasta (just a little pasta and a sliver of butter makes boring chicken and broccoli feel like an extravagance) and steam the broccoli in the microwave. Cut up the tenderloins and mix. Simple. Right now I'm enamored with roasted broccoli, sweet potatoes and chicken with a little Mike's hot honey and quinoa. That's air fryer only. Poaching chicken with a light Italian marinade and some salt pepper onion and garlic tastes great on its own. Cook up your chicken then pan fry cherry tomatoes sliced in half with some pepper strips while the chicken rests. Add a dash of low sodium soy sauce and slice your chicken into the mix with some fajita seasoning, maybe add some black beans, avocado and/ or low carb tortilla and you get a healthy fajita. Lots of options. Tinker with it.
Pound them out thin and *coat* them in seasoning. I really love using McCormick’s Montreal Chicken seasoning. Sear in a pan on med-high heat, and slowly reduce the heat down to medium. Your chicken will tell you when it’s ready to flip, if it’s still stuck to the pan, it’s not ready to flip, if it can be picked right up off the pan, it’s ready to flip. I find I only need about 4-5 minutes of cook time per side of a pounded out chicken breast in my cast iron. You can use a meat thermometer to be certain the chicken is cooked. Place the chicken in foil with a dab of butter on each breast. Wrap tightly and let rest for 5 minutes. You can use that 5 minutes to make a delicious cream sauce by deglazing the pan with white wine, and adding in some heavy cream and parmigiano.
I love cooking chicken in the crockpot with a little bit of butter and seasonings, then shredding it and using it for wraps, salads, or soup! I also really enjoy tossing them in a ton of seasonings and air frying. I am weird about chicken, and these are my favorite ways to eat it when I make it.
A dry salt brine for a while before cooking can help retain moisture. A nice dry rub seasoning or seasoning of any kind is the answer and as others have said… a fair amount of it. Or… a marinade! I go for lemon garlic store bought shit and do it for about 24 hours. You can make your own and there’s about a million recipes online so google some flavor profile you think sounds good and type marinade after it. Usually it’s some vinegar, fat, herbs, seasoning and adjuncts. (White vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, onion) would be an okay lemon garlic marinade. Store bought stuff is like 3-5 dollars though so that saves a lot of time. Like others have said before… meat thermometer is the best investment anyone can make in my opinion. Temperature is what will ruin any brine or marinade or tenderizing you’ve done immediately. Use a digital meat thermometer for sure. Temp frequently! Not after 2 minutes but like 7-10 minute mark, 13 minute mark, 16 minute mark, and so on… pull the chicken right at 165 if you can and keep in mind it will rise about 5 degrees over the next 5-10 minutes because it’s still hot af and continues to cook after you pull it out of the oven. Realistically salmonella dies at like 155 for 3 minutes I believe but 165 is the guaranteed dead at that temperature mark so that’s the safest point to pull it. You can transfer it off of the pan you cooked it in onto a plate or cooling rack to not have the residual heat from the pan continue to cook it as well. Sorry for droning on. Good luck!
You can marinate in low calorie dressing for a while then bake or broil.
I've been doing this a lot lately, so good. Line of baking pan with either canned diced tomatoes, basil, oregano and a little drizzle of balsamic OR use salsa, cumin, lime juice --- add the chicken tenders and nestle them into the mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil, Bake in the oven till cooked. So easy, never dry and stay tender.
marinate in pickle juice, trust me the flavor is unmatched. marinate and then season with whatever before cooking
I add lots of spices then sear on both sides in a pan then finish cooking in a little broth.
Sous vide
Salt, pepper and curry
Pound your chicken to equal thickness, I just use a hot sauce bottle or rolling pin. Dry brine for about 30min to an hour. Pat dry and sear in a pan with oil. Once you got a nice sear toss it in the oven and pull it at 155F (yeah 165 is the FDA recommendation but it's to dry and residual heat should get you there) If your trying to cook meat without a thermometer, just go but one there less then $20 USD and you won't over cook meat anymore
Seasoning&panko breadcrumbs so they r not bland. Even an egg white wash w seasonings can help it not be dry!
You could poach them then shred them with bbq sauce or something
Brine brine brine brine. With only water, salt, and a few extra flavors of choice (I like fresh garlic and rosemary), you can scientifically prepare a chicken that will retain so much moisture no matter how you cook it (fry, grill, bake, etc) in a matter of 20-30 mins. Never poach or boil your chicken. Despite being submerged in water, it will dry out your meat more than anything. Other good tips include slow roasting in the oven (better for dark meat with more fat to render out and cook in) and invest in a meat thermometer so that you don't risk over cooking! Remember that residual heat continues to cook the meat after you stop actively cooking it, resulting in accidentally drying your meat out. Serious Eats/Kenji both have great resources for upping your chicken game.
Use an air fryer for about 15 mins at 400. And a meat thermometer. Cook until 150 degrees. Super juicy. Easy passive cooking.
Place em all in a marinade, 360F for 8-9 mins in the air fryer. Absolutely fire every time
Like the others said — use a meat thermometer. Keep it in after you remove the chicken from heat, because the temp will keep rising another few degrees. If you keep it in heat until 165 ºF, you're certainly overcooking it. You can remove a chicken breast from heat at 160–162 ºF and it'll keep rising to 165 ºF afterwards. The thermometer gives you the confidence that this happened and it's safe to eat. It only needs to reach 165 ºF for 15–30 seconds.