Description
These Mediterranean Chicken Tenders offer a light and flavorful meal with tender chicken marinated in vibrant Mediterranean spices and served with a creamy yogurt sauce. Perfect for a quick and healthy dinner or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g (1.1lb) chicken breast tenders, trimmed
- 30ml (2Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
- 15ml (1Tbsp) lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (≈10g / 0.35oz)
- 1tsp (5g) dried oregano
- 1tsp (5g) ground cumin
- 1tsp (5g) smoked paprika
- ½tsp (2.5g) sea salt
- ¼tsp (1.5g) black pepper
- ¼tsp (0.5g) crushed red-pepper flakes (optional)
- 30g (¼cup) plain Greek yogurt
- 1Tbsp (15ml) tahini (optional)
- 1tsp (5ml) honey or agave syrup
- 1tsp (5ml) lemon juice (for sauce)
- 10g (0.35oz) fresh parsley, chopped
- 2g lemon zest
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 30g (¼cup) pomegranate arils (optional)
- 1tsp (5g) sumac (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Marinate Chicken: Toss chicken tenders in marinade; refrigerate for 30-120 minutes.
- Make Yogurt Sauce: Combine yogurt, tahini (if using), honey, lemon juice, and salt; whisk until smooth.
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F); line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange Chicken: Place marinated chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake Chicken: Bake for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through.
- Toast Sumac (Optional): Toast sumac in a dry skillet for 30 seconds.
- Rest & Garnish: Rest chicken for 3 minutes; serve with sauce, parsley, zest, sumac, and pomegranate.
Notes
For optimal flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Using a meat thermometer ensures the chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Poultry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 150g
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: chicken, mediterranean, tenders, healthy, quick, easy, marinade, yogurt, herbs