This TikTok Hack Shows You How to Remove Chicken Tendons
Updated: Feb. 08, 2021
You'll need a fork, a napkin and a bit of elbow grease.
If you’ve ever worked with chicken tenderloins before, you probably know all about chicken tendons. It’s a tough, white string of fat found in the middle of the chicken tender. While some people don’t mind them being left in the chicken, others would rather strip them out. But what’s the best chicken tendon removal strategy?
Sounds like a solution TikTok might have—no surprise! We’ve learned many helpful hacks from TikTok, including how to properly make mashed potatoes or thoroughly clean our ovens.
Now, this TikTok video shows us EXACTLY how to strip the tendons out of chicken!
How to Remove a Chicken Tendon in Seconds
To start, gather the necessary materials. You’ll need a fork, a napkin and a cutting board or plate of some sort.
Take the piece of chicken you’re looking to de-tendon and lay it flat on your cutting board. Next, locate the tendon itself. It should be the stringy white piece in the middle of the meat. You’ll want to dig the end of the tendon out and place it through the tines of the fork (with the fork upside down).
After that, take your napkin and grab the end of the tendon. Pull up on the tendon gently and watch it easily separate from the rest of the chicken. Voila!
This trick is from TikTok user @raerae738. She makes it look so easy:
@raerae738#lifehacks #allaboutthatchicken #fyp #followme
How Does This Work?
By isolating the tendon rather than working with the whole piece of chicken, you’re able to peel it out so much easier. It’s much better than trying to cut around the tendon or pull it out yourself. It never really works the way you want it to! Just remember to be gentle.
Recipes to Make with Chicken Tenders
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Air-Fryer Everything Bagel Chicken Strips
I love the flavor profile of everything bagels, so I re-created it with traditional breaded chicken fingers. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. —Cynthia Gerken, Naples, Florida
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
These buffalo chicken tenders get a spicy kick thanks to homemade sauce. They taste like they're from a restaurant, but are so easy to make at home. Blue cheese dipping sauce takes them over the top. —Dahlia Abrams, Detroit, Michigan
Sheet-Pan Pineapple Chicken Fajitas
For our fajitas, I combine chicken and pineapple for a different flavor. These fajitas are more on the sweet side, but my family loves them! —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Grecian Chicken
The caper, tomato and olive flavors whisk you away to the Greek isles in an easy skillet dish that's perfect for hectic weeknights. —Jan Marler, Murchison, Texas
Tex-Mex Chicken Strips
I was looking for a way to amp up the flavor of regular chicken strips so I crushed up some leftover corn chips to create a crispy, flavorful coating. —Cynthia Gerken, Naples, Florida
Skillet Plum Chicken Tenders
If you love plums, this recipe is for you! I combine the fruit with chicken tenders for a quick, easy and flavorful meal. Serve with brown rice or orzo pasta. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles
This versatile chicken recipe is very similar to chicken pad Thai but easier to make and tastes just as good. Rice noodles can be swapped with mung bean noodles or any type of egg noodles. —Kristina Segarra, Yonkers, New York
Dinner Poppers
I could eat jalapeno poppers all day long, but who wants to say they had seven stuffed peppers for dinner? For this meal-in-one, I use poblanos for my husband and son, and hotter peppers for my daughter and me. —Sherri Jerzyk, Tucson, Arizona
Chicken Piccata Pockets
My husband loves chicken piccata. I tried it in a puff pastry pocket with a bit of cream cheese; it tasted sensational. When he took leftovers to work, everyone asked what smelled so great. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois
Grilled Chicken Chopped Salad
Layered desserts always grab my family’s attention, but salads? Not so much. I wondered if I could get everyone on board by presenting a healthy salad in an eye-catching way. I’m happy to say that it worked. —Christine Hadden, Whitman, Massachusetts
Citrus-Honey Chicken
We raise heirloom-breed chickens, so I'm always looking for chicken recipes. This one with oven baked chicken tenderloins and orange and honey flavors is tops at our house. —Beth Nafziger, Lowville, NY
Mango & Grilled Chicken Salad
We live in the hot South, and this awesome fruity chicken salad is a weeknight standout. I buy salad greens and add veggies for color and crunch. —Sherry Little, Sherwood, Arkansas
Crispy Sage Chicken Tenders
One of my mom's favorite chicken recipes used fresh sage. Her version was smothered with gravy, but we like these panko-crusted tenders as they are. —Deb Perry, Traverse City, Michigan
Apricot Cranberry Chicken
Before we had kids, my husband and I used to make a lot of challenging recipes, but now we keep things a little simpler. This tangy chicken has big flavors that everybody likes. —Brooke Ruzek, Elk River, Minnesota
Basil-Lemon Chicken
Even though I'm not known for my green thumb, I've somehow managed to keep a kitchen herb garden going. I chose this skillet lemon basil chicken to debut my first batch of fresh herbs. —Juli Snaer, Enid, Oklahoma
Crispy BBQ Chip Tenders
These crunchy chicken tenders are a little sweet, a little tangy and a whole lot of fun. In half an hour, your family's new favorite dish is ready to eat. When I have extra time, I roast garlic and add it to the sauce. —Andreann Geise, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Apple-Mustard Chicken Tenders
My husband says this dish is sweet and a little bit sassy, just like me. I like to use Granny Smith apples for a bit of tartness. Winesaps are great for this dish, too. —Linda Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois
Tuscan Chicken Tenders with Pesto Sauce
Golden bites of breaded chicken? You can't go wrong! A green and red pesto sauce for dipping adds a flavorful accent and festive color. Serve the little tenders warm or at room temperature. —Mary Lou Cook, Welches, Oregon
Gorgonzola & Orange Chicken Tenders
My mom likes to make this for family gatherings, and we all like to eat it. Marmalade and Gorgonzola might sound like an unusual combo, but they actually make a great pair. —Yvette Gorman, Denver, Pennsylvania
Slow-Simmered Meat Ragu
After a day of simmering in the slow-cooker, this ragu is not your typical spaghetti sauce. It's almost like a stew, so feel free to skip the pasta. —Laurie LaClair, North Richland Hills, Texas
Popcorn & Pretzel Chicken Tenders
My daughter, Alivia, thought it would be tasty fun to coat chicken tenders with two of our favorite movie-watching snacks, popcorn and pretzels. Crunchy and crispy, they bring on a lot of smiles when served with a creamy and sweet mustard sauce. —Suzanne Clark, Phoenix, Arizona
Chestnut-Onion Stuffed Turducken Bundles
A friend told me about turducken, and these bundles are my best attempt at creating an easy version. The flavor of all three birds comes through and goes wonderfully with the sauce. —Barbara Lento, Houston, Pennsylvania
Lime-Ginger Chicken Tenders
We cook a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they're low in fat, high in protein, and almost always a smart buy at the grocery store. To keep things exciting, I add a few of our favorites to the mix like jalapenos, lime and fresh ginger. —Samantha Anderson, Fort Worth, Texas
Chicken Soba Noodle Toss
This is one of my favorite meals for busy weeknights. You can prepare all the ingredients the day before and then put the dish together just before dinner. —Elizabeth Brown, Lowell, Massachusetts
Sausage Chicken Jambalaya
For anyone who enjoys entertaining, this jambalaya is the perfect one-pot meal to feed a crowd. It’s comforting, spicy and easy to make.—Betty Benthin, Grass Valley, California
Italian Chicken Tenderloins
My friend made this meal for my husband and me after our first child was born. Since chicken tenderloin recipes can be so caloric, I trimmed down the fat and carbs, but we love it just the same. —Beth Ann Stein, Richmond, Indiana
Mexican Skillet Rice
I never come home with leftovers when I take this dish to potlucks and parties. But I do bring back quite a few compliments. —Mary Ann Dell, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Seasoned Chicken Strips
These strips are designed for kids, but tasty enough for company. The tender strips are moist and juicy and would also be great on a salad. —Becky Oliver, Fairplay, Colorado
Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This is one of my go-to meals when I want a fun dinner. I love the spicy Asian flavors against the cool lettuce and the added crunch of peanuts and water chestnuts. —Brittany Allyn, Nashville, TennesseePopular Videos
Originally Published: February 08, 2021
