When To Use Chicken Breast Vs Chicken Tenderloin

When it comes to the chilly butcher department in your grocery store, the varying cuts of meat and poultry can be dizzying. Pork loin sits beside pork chops, chuck roast is displayed inches away from thinly sliced bottom round, and chicken breast is placed beside chicken tenderloin. Knowing what to use can seem intimidating, but a few simple rules can guide you in the right direction.

Chicken breast and chicken tenderloin, for instance, share some key qualities. They're both lean cuts of meat with less fat than chicken thighs or wings. These two cuts of white meat can often be used interchangeably, but not always.

A chicken breast is larger and thicker, often benefitting from being pounded into cutlets. A tenderloin, meanwhile, is smaller and more delicate, benefitting from quick sears and grilling. With good seasoning (like Dan-O's on Amazon) and proper preparation, either can turn out delicious, yielding a great source of protein and flavor.

As its name explains, chicken breast consists of the cut of meat that sits beneath the animal's front ribs. The cut of meat is often uneven in its size and thickness. On top of that, chicken breast is extremely lean, creating some challenges when cooking this cut of meat.

Due to its irregular size and low fat content, it can be easy to accidentally cook a chicken breast that's rubbery, stringy, and dry. However, that shouldn't deter you from trying. Brown your chicken breast in a skillet, like this Cuisinart option on Amazon, before sticking it in the oven at a low temperature — a 2-step method that will cook the poultry gently and adequately.

Unlike smaller cuts of chicken tenderloin, chicken breast is a relatively large cut of meat, allowing for more versatility. Chicken breast can be pounded into thinner cutlets, yielding beloved dishes like classic chicken parmesan, lemony chicken piccata, and crispy chicken katsu. Cooked chicken breast can also be shredded — just use a couple of forks or a food processor — making the perfect filling for tacos, enchiladas, soups, and more.

Chicken tenderloin is a smaller, thinner, and more evenly-sized portion of meat; the tenderloin is attached to the underside of a chicken breast. It's a boneless cut of poultry, but a thick, stringy tendon runs through a chicken tenderloin — something you'll want to remove before cooking. To easily remove a chicken tendon, simply string the tendon between the prongs of a metal fork and push the fork downward toward the chicken, peeling the tendon out within seconds.

From there, you've got a lean, flavorful and tender piece of meat to work with. One of the most well-known uses for chicken tenderloin is the simple-but-genius chicken tender. To make crispy baked chicken tenders, dredge chicken tenderloins in mayonnaise and a seasoned panko breadcrumb mixture before baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for a crunchy, golden crust.

Chicken tenderloin has a faster cooking time than chicken breast, making it great for pan-frying or searing in a skillet. Throw them into tacos, roughly chop your tenderloins for a stir-fry or rice bowl, or grill them up with some buffalo sauce. It'll only take a few minutes, which is a huge plus.