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Home » Recipes » Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders

Christel OerumBy Christel Oerum on October 4, 2017, Updated April 18, 2020
Recipes

Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Baked chicken tenders in mustard sauce

This healthy Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders recipe is super simple and deliciously flavorful. You can serve as-is, or dish it up over rice or a salad to soak up the tasty mustard sauce!

Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders in a baking dish, ready to be served

This recipe for mustard baked chicken tenders is one I come back to again and again when I want something easy, healthy, and delicious!

First, the flavor is just wonderful. You may be thinking to yourself, “That’s a lot of mustard. Isn’t this super spicy?” Well, it definitely has a little kick, but it’s not that strong. I have served it to many different people (kids included) and it has always been popular!

Second, boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenderloins) are a fantastic protein option for anyone focused on eating a healthy diet. They are lean, delicious, easy to cook, and full of protein.

Chicken tenderloins need minimal prep before cooking since they have little to no fat to trim off. You just toss them in an easy and healthy sauce or marinade and bake. Which is exactly what we’ll do in this recipe!

How to make mustard baked chicken tenders

I love how simple this dish is to throw together! The mustard sauce is simple to prep, and chicken tenders are very easy to bake as long as you keep an eye on them.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425F (220C)

Step 2: Combine the mustard, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.

Step 3: Add the chicken and mix. You want each piece of chicken to be coated with the mustard sauce.

Step 4: Transfer the chicken and sauce into a large baking dish and cover.

Step 5: Bake until chicken has cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

To check the doneness of the chicken tenders, cut one halfway through. If the juices are clear and the meat is white, it’s ready!

Cooked chicken tenders laid out on a baking dish with mustard sauce over them

Choosing and baking the chicken tenderloins

For this recipe, you can use either whole chicken breast that you cut into tenders or the smaller chicken tenderloins (often just called chicken tenders on the packaging). Chicken tenderloin is just as lean and nutritious as chicken breast, so it’s a great option if you can get it.

The exact baking time depends on the size of your chicken tenders so you should check a few times to see if they are fully cooked. You never want to eat undercooked chicken, but the tenders will get dry if you overcook them.

To tell if the tenderloins are done, cut into one at the halfway point (where the tenderloin is the thickest). If the juice runs clear and the meat is white, not pink, then your tenderloins are ready.

Flavors of the mustard sauce

The sauce is super simple to make, but the flavors are very full and complex. Best of all, there is no added oil or sugar!

I love serving these chicken tenders over a bed of steamed spinach and brown rice so the rice can soak up more of the mustard sauce. I also enjoy tossing leftovers in some leafy greens and using the mustard sauce as a tasty salad dressing. 

With this delicious and versatile flavors, you really can’t go wrong!

Storage

Baked chicken tenderloins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

They’re an easy meal to make ahead and then serve over a salad, in a wrap, or with a side of veggies for a quick and healthy meal!

Other delicious and healthy chicken recipes

I love finding more and more tasty ways to incorporate chicken as a lean and healthy protein. If you do too, here are a few more recipes I know you’ll love:

  • Healthy Stuffed Chicken Breast
  • Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Cream Cheese
  • Smothered Creamy Skillet Chicken

For even more inspiration for delicious meals that include chicken, check out this roundup of the best diabetic chicken recipes.

When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!

Recipe Card

Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders

This healthy Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders recipe is super simple and deliciously flavorful. You can serve as-is, or dish it up over rice or a salad to soak up the tasty mustard sauce!
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Author:Christel Oerum
Servings:4
3.87 from 126 votes
Review Print

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs. chicken tenders
  • ½ cup whole grain mustard
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
  • ½ oz. lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, (minced)
  • ½ tsp. paprika, (sweet smoked if you have it)
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • Extra tarragon to garnish (optional)
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425F (220C)
  • Combine the mustard, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Add the chicken and mix. You want each piece of chicken to be coated with the mustard sauce.
  • Transfer the chicken and sauce into a large baking dish and cover.
  • Bake until chicken has cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 4 servings with about 4 oz (1/4 lb) per serving.
To check the doneness of the chicken tenders, cut into one at the halfway point (where the tenderloin is the thickest). If the juice runs clear and the meat is white, not pink, then your tenderloins are fully cooked.
You can serve the chicken by itself, or consider serving it with something to soak up the mustard sauce, such as rice or leafy greens.
Baked chicken tenderloins can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders
Amount Per Serving
Calories 195 Calories from Fat 41
% Daily Value*
Fat 4.6g7%
Saturated Fat 0.3g2%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g
Cholesterol 65.8mg22%
Sodium 808mg34%
Potassium 289mg8%
Carbohydrates 3.5g1%
Fiber 1.4g6%
Sugar 2.1g2%
Protein 28.5g57%
Vitamin C 1.9mg2%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
Net carbs 2.1g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Baked chicken strips, baked chicken tenderloins, Baked chicken tenders, mustard baked chicken tenders
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Categories: Recipes Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, 30 min or less, Lunch & Dinner, Chicken & Turkey

Christel Oerum

About Christel Oerum

Christel is the founder of Diabetes Strong. She is a Certified Personal Trainer specializing in diabetes. As someone living with type 1 diabetes, Christel is particularly passionate about helping others with diabetes live active healthy lives. She’s a diabetes advocate, public speaker, and author of the popular diabetes book Fit With Diabetes.

View all posts by Christel Oerum

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarJ says

    September 30, 2020 at 10:26 am

    Could regular mustard be used? I can’t use mustard seeds.

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      September 30, 2020 at 2:23 pm

      You could use regular mustard but the chicken tenders will become a bit more sticky and messy to eat

      Reply
  2. AvatarValli Stewart-Funk says

    June 24, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    Great! I topped my chicken with shredded parmesan and set it to broil for a minute and it was amazing. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. AvatarAlyssa says

    February 23, 2020 at 1:44 pm

    I doubled this recipe, and used a lot more garlic than suggested, and coated the chicken lightly in garlic salt and Italian seasoning (I did not put salt in the mustard mixture.)

    Additionally, I cooked my chicken tightly sealed on 325 degrees for an hour. It comes out literally falling apart.

    Delicious recipe!

    Reply
  4. AvatarMARYBETH MARTINEZ says

    February 5, 2020 at 5:09 am

    What is a serving size?

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      February 5, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      This serves 4 people so 1/4 lbs. or 4 oz.

      Reply
  5. AvatarSusan says

    January 21, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    I tried this recipe with my roasted brussel sprouts it was wonderful

    Reply
  6. AvatarRachel says

    January 5, 2020 at 3:21 pm

    I used thyme instead of tarragon but followed this exact otherwise. I’m usually more into thighs but this sauce was great on breast meat. Also my kids eat grilled chicken a lot but I didn’t know what they would think of mustard sauce…they ate more than me.

    Reply
  7. AvatarKandy says

    October 14, 2019 at 7:19 am

    Could dried tarragon be used in place of the fresh? I have everything to make this recipe but no fresh tarragon. Is there another herb that could be used? Looks like a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Christel OerumChristel Oerum says

      October 14, 2019 at 4:20 pm

      I would think that could work just as well but you might want to grind it up. Dried basil could be another good match

      Reply
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