This 5-ingredient oven chicken using raw chicken breast tenderloins is the kind of no-fuss, family-pleasing dinner I lean on during busy weeknights. Everything happens right in a glass casserole dish: you toss in the raw tenderloins, add just four pantry-friendly ingredients, and let the oven do the rest. The chicken comes out juicy, flavorful, and comforting—perfect for a cozy Midwestern family table and simple enough for even the most hectic evenings.
Serve these tender, saucy chicken pieces over fluffy white rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes to soak up all the flavorful juices from the pan. Add a simple green side—like steamed broccoli, roasted green beans, or a tossed salad—to round out the meal. Warm dinner rolls or buttered garlic bread are always a hit with kids and make it easy to swipe up every last bit of sauce.
5-Ingredient Oven Chicken TenderloinsServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds raw chicken breast tenderloins
1/3 cup olive oil (or melted butter)
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt (optional, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional, to taste)
Cooking spray or a little oil for greasing the dish (optional, not counted in the 5 ingredients)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish with cooking spray or a little oil so the chicken doesn’t stick.
Lay the raw chicken breast tenderloins in a single layer in the bottom of the glass casserole dish. It’s okay if they’re snug, but try not to stack them on top of each other so they cook evenly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until the mixture is smooth and well combined. This is your simple 4-ingredient sauce.
Pour the sauce evenly over the raw chicken tenderloins in the glass dish. Use a spoon or tongs to gently toss and turn the chicken right in the dish until all the pieces are well coated. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper if using.
Cover the glass casserole dish tightly with foil and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the foil (watch for hot steam).
Return the uncovered dish to the oven and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken tenderloins are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece. The sauce should be bubbly around the edges.
Once done, remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon some of the pan sauce over the top of each serving and enjoy warm.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can swap the Dijon mustard for a milder yellow mustard or even half mustard and half ketchup to make the flavor more familiar and kid-friendly. If your family likes a little kick, add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce before tossing it with the chicken. For a slightly richer flavor, replace half of the olive oil with melted butter. You can also sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella or cheddar over the chicken during the last 5 minutes of baking for a cheesy finish.
To keep this meal lighter, serve the chicken over brown rice or cauliflower rice and pair it with roasted vegetables. For a one-pan feel, you can tuck a few thick-cut carrot sticks or green beans around the edges of the chicken in the glass dish—just keep them in a single layer so everything cooks evenly.
Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed chicken; do not bake from frozen in this recipe, as it can cause uneven cooking. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken, and wash your hands, knives, and any surfaces that touch the raw meat with hot, soapy water. When checking doneness, use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a tenderloin and make sure it reaches 165°F (74°C). Do not taste or reuse any leftover sauce from the dish unless it has been fully cooked with the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and reheat until steaming hot before serving again.
