This pan seared chicken tenderloin recipe uses the small tender muscle from beneath the breast, not sliced breast strips. Dry the surface for light browning, cook in uncrowded batches and add Savory Dust to a gentle lemon-butter finish after searing.
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Prepare the tenderloins. Pat the chicken dry without rinsing. Trim the exposed tough white tendon ends with kitchen shears; avoid pulling hard enough to tear the meat. Keep pieces whole and similar in thickness. Mix the Dust and softened butter in a clean bowl away from raw chicken.
Heat the skillet. Warm a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the oil and swirl to coat; it should shimmer without heavy smoke. Lay in half the tenderloins with space between them. There is no yogurt, flour or breadcrumb coating.
Sear and check. Cook about 3 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook 2–4 minutes more, lowering the heat if needed. Check each thickest center from the side for 165°F (74°C). Transfer cooked pieces to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
Make a gentle finish. Reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the water and lemon juice; scrape up light brown pan juices for about 30 seconds, avoiding burnt black bits. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the reserved Dust butter until it melts.
Coat and serve. Return the cooked tenderloins and their juices to the pan. Turn briefly in the warm finish without boiling it, then serve promptly. Taste before adding salt because Savory Dust already contains it. Keep the coating light rather than reducing it to a sticky glaze.
Cooking timing: 15–20 mins, in batches.
The Dust In This Recipe
Savory Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦Aromatic & SavoryA layered Latin-inspired profile with warm spice and real depth.
✦Dates Do MoreOrganic Coachella Valley dates round out the spices with earthy sweetness.
They are the small elongated muscles under the breast, often sold as tenders. Look for whole tenderloins rather than a package of cut breast strips. Both can be cooked in a skillet, but their thickness and timing differ; this recipe is written for the actual tender muscle.
DO I HAVE TO REMOVE THE WHITE TENDON?
The tendon is edible but can be chewy. Trim the exposed end, or gently remove more if you can do so without shredding the tenderloin. Aggressive pulling can tear a small piece apart. Wash utensils and your hands after handling raw chicken.
WHY IS THERE NO BREADING OR MARINADE?
This is an unbreaded skillet method, distinct from yogurt-marinated fried tenders. Drying the surface and leaving space in the pan encourage light browning. The lemon-butter Dust mixture coats the cooked chicken, so there is no soaking time to include.
HOW DO I STOP THIN TENDERLOINS FROM DRYING OUT?
Use similar-size pieces, avoid crowding and check early. Remove each one when its thickest center reaches 165°F (74°C) rather than waiting for every piece to look the same. Turn down the heat if the outside browns before the middle reaches temperature.
HOW DO I MEASURE SUCH A SMALL PIECE?
Insert a thin instant-read probe from the side into the thickest center, following the thermometer’s sensing-depth instructions. Keep the tip out of the pan. Check more than one tenderloin, especially pieces with thick ends; visible color alone is not a reliable test.
WHEN SHOULD I ADD SAVORY DUST?
Stir it into butter separately, then add that mixture after deglazing and removing the pan from heat. Savory Dust contains ground dates and can darken in a hot dry skillet. Gentle finishing heat keeps it from becoming a burnt coating.
HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVERS AND CHECK ALLERGENS?
Chill within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), and use within 3–4 days at 40°F (4°C) or below. Reheat to 165°F (74°C); thin chicken will firm up further. Butter contains milk and Savory Dust lists mustard. Check current labels.
