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If you’re looking for a quick and flavorful main dish for weeknight cooking, these lemon pepper chicken tenders are a great choice. They go from kitchen to table in under 30 minutes and are a great example of a foolproof way to level up weeknight cooking: an easy pan sauce made with fresh ingredients.
Instead of using store-bought seasoning, this recipe uses a blend of lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt to build flavor. The fresh lemon zest brings bold citrus flavor to the dish that’s enhanced by the fresh lemon juice in the sauce. It only takes a couple of minutes to zest and juice a lemon, and if you have any extra, a few thin slices make a beautiful finishing touch in the pan.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
CHICKEN TENDERLOINS: Chicken tenderloins are our go-to choice for easy weeknight meals because they cook quickly and turn out tender and juicy. You’ll want to remove the little white tendon before cooking. Kitchen shears make quick work of this task.
LEMON: Fresh lemon zest is the basis for our custom lemon pepper seasoning and fresh-squeezed juice is the main component in our lemony pan sauce. For best flavor, we don’t recommend any substitutions.
SCALLIONS: Our lemon-pepper seasoning already includes onion powder, but finishing the dish with fresh scallions adds a mild onion flavor and a bit of color. If you don’t have them, it’s okay to leave them out.
Overview
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
This dish is a quick and flavorful weeknight option that comes together in under 30 minutes. Lightly floured chicken tenderloins are sautéed until golden, then seasoned with homemade lemon-pepper seasoning.
The key to success is not crowding the pan so the chicken tenders get a little bit of golden color on the outside. A handful of chopped scallions gets mixed in right before serving for a pop of color and flavor.
A quick simmer in a tangy mix of fresh lemon juice and chicken broth finishes the cooking and brings everything together in a light, zesty sauce that can be served over rice, orzo, or mashed potatoes.
Tested Tips
ZESTING AND JUICING LEMONS: Zest your lemons first, then juice them. Room temperature lemons are easier to work with and yield more juice, so let them sit out for a bit, or microwave them for about 10 seconds to warm them up. Before cutting, roll the lemon on the counter, exerting some pressure with your palm. This helps break down the membranes inside and gets the juice flowing.
REHEATING LEFTOVERS: Reheat leftover chicken gently on the stove or in the microwave and add a splash of broth or water to keep the chicken moist and reconstitute the sauce.
More Chicken in Easy Pan Sauces
The beauty of pan sauces is they’re fast, flexible, and easy to customize, so if you like the simplicity of this dish, we’ve got a few others for you to try.
Our Orange Tarragon Chicken features a uniquely-flavored orange sauce over boneless chicken breasts. Cilantro Lime Chicken combines tangy lime juice, herbs, and spices in a light and creamy sauce. Our Chicken and Mushroom Skillet is a one-pan meal made with chicken tenders, spinach, mushrooms, and creamy melted cheese, and Chicken Marsala with Pasta and Tomatoes is a variation on a classic that’s ideal for serving over pasta.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders in Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins, about 12 pieces
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, (from 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from 2 lemons)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Trim any visible white tendons from the chicken tenderloins. In a large zip-top plastic bag, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and shake until the tenderloins are evenly coated. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess flour from the tenderloins and place them in the pan in a single layer. Sauté for about 1-1/2 minutes per side, until golden.Note: Overcrowding the pan will prevent browning so if the tenders don’t all fit comfortably, sautéing in two batches is recommended.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the lemon juice and chicken broth to the pan, then sprinkle the lemon-pepper seasoning evenly over the chicken. Use tongs to turn the tenderloins a few times, coating them with the sauce.
- Let the chicken simmer for 1-1/2 minutes. Turn the pieces over, add the scallions, and continue cooking for another 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Remove from the heat, plate the chicken, spoon the sauce over the top, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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