FARGO — My son recently challenged me to create a meal using only items I already had in supply in my kitchen, and I happily accepted.
I pulled two packs of chicken tenders from my freezer and then turned to the pantry, where I took inspiration from a variety of Asian ingredients I recently acquired. Fully motivated, I whipped up an easy liquid marinade to create these savory and delicious Hoisin and Honey Grilled Chicken Tenders.
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I love the convenience of chicken tenders — they are succulent and juicy, require no slicing or trimming, and cook quickly on the grill, making them ideal for easy weeknight suppers. For this recipe, I used two packs of Costco’s chicken tenders, which totaled between 2½ and 3 pounds.
The liquid marinade is a combination of hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper and chili garlic sauce. A staple in Cantonese cuisine, hoisin sauce is thick like molasses, with a fragrantly sweet and tangy flavor. It is often used as a glaze or dipping sauce for meats, and you can find it, as well as soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce, in your local Asian supermarkets or in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
While there is really no substitute for hoisin sauce, several other ingredients can be replaced with items you may already have on hand. You can use ground ginger instead of fresh, and I have included measurements for each in this recipe. Cider or white wine vinegar can be used instead of rice vinegar, olive or vegetable oil instead of sesame, and crushed red pepper flakes instead of chili garlic sauce, all in the same measurements as the original item.
The tenders should marinate for at least two hours before grilling, and they can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours, so you can prepare this recipe in the morning and have the chicken ready to grill when you get home in the evening. The hoisin sauce and honey create a sticky marinade, so it is important to lubricate the grill with vegetable oil before heating it up, which will help keep the tenders from sticking to the grates.
To cook the tenders, set your grill to medium-high heat, between 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook the chicken on one side until it is nice and charred, about three to four minutes, then flip and repeat until the chicken is fully cooked with an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. Once the tenders have been placed on the hot grill, wait one minute before disturbing them, and then use a flat spatula to loosen them from the grill so that they do not become stuck.
I served the grilled tenders immediately over a bed of chilled noodle salad, and I will be sharing that recipe with you next week. The marinade gave the chicken a terrific sense of umami, which was further enhanced by the smoky char from the grill. Savory, quick and delicious, these Hoisin and Honey Grilled Chicken Tenders were a winner with my family, and I hope you enjoy them, too.
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Hoisin and Honey Grilled Chicken Tenders
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup honey (for less sweet version, start with 3 tablespoons and add more as desired)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated — or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (olive or neutral oils also work)
- 1 teaspoon rice or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce or crushed red pepper flakes
- 2½ to 3 pounds chicken tenders
Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. If you prefer less sweetness in the marinade, start with just 3 tablespoons of honey, then taste the marinade and add more, up to 2 tablespoons or as desired.
Place the chicken tenders in a Ziploc bag or large bowl. Add the marinade and toss until the chicken is fully coated. Seal the bag or bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (375 to 400 degrees) and make sure the grates are generously lubricated with vegetable oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Grill the tenders on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and continue grilling until the chicken is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. After one minute on each side, use a flat spatula to gently lift the tenders to loosen them from the grate, if needed.
Serve the chicken immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days to enjoy in sandwiches and salads.
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