Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with oil and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the marinade ingredients: lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, lemon zest, dried cilantro, onion powder, and salt. Mix well.

Add the chicken tenders to the marinade and coat them thoroughly. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Transfer the marinated chicken to the prepared baking dish.

In the remaining marinade, add chicken stock, paprika, and cornstarch. Mix well.

Pour the mixture over the chicken tenders in the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Baste the chicken with the liquid in the baking dish and continue baking for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Once done, garnish the chicken with fresh cilantro and serve alongside lemon wedges.

Notes:

Prep the chicken: Remove the tendon from chicken fingers before cooking. If cutting chicken fingers from a larger chicken breast, cut into similar sized pieces. Piercing the chicken before marinating allows the flavors to seep deeper into the chicken, yielding more tender chicken.

Use fresh ingredients: Use fresh lemons for the best flavor.

Marinate: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor.

Storing and Reheating

Storing: Store the chicken for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Let the chicken cool completely first.

To reheat: Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or the microwave until warmed through. In the microwave, cover the dish with a damp paper towel or another plate to keep it from drying out.

Freezing: You can freeze this dish without the garnishes for 2-3 months. Place in an airtight container or ziplock bag with as much air squeezed out as possible. Lay flat for easy storing and thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 472mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg