Chicken breast vs. Loin - What's the difference?

If you are not a professional butcher or an experienced cook, you may not know that the tenderloin is a muscle behind the breast and is the most delicate part of the chicken.

But what is the difference between chicken breast and tenderloin?  The first obvious difference between chicken breast and tenderloin is the size. Tenderloins are almost twice as small as chicken breasts. They also differ in shape, as the sirloin is narrow and thin. Chicken breast is also slightly leaner and contains more vitamins.

We’ve delved into chicken breast and tenderloin to see what makes these two parts of chicken similar and different at the same time.

Chicken Tenderloin vs. Chicken Breast

Here you have all the basic and not so basic information you need to know.

What is chicken tenderloin?

Chicken tenderloins, also known as “chicken tenders”, are parts of the chicken located in the lower part of the breast.  Each chicken has two tenderloins.

Since the tenderloins are quite small, it is very easy to miss them. In fact, if you’re new to cooking, you may not even know they exist.

The tenderloins are hidden behind the breasts. You can only see them when the breast bone is separated. Chicken tenderloins are two small muscles called the pectoralis minor.

What is chicken breast?

Chicken breast is a highly prized ingredient for its versatility and nutritional value. Being a rich and lean source of protein, it is especially popular with athletes.

Boneless chicken breast is the least affordable part of the chicken. It can be cooked in many ways, from grilling to frying, and from boiling to baking in the oven.

There are multiple reasons why you should eat chicken breast. First, it’s low in fat, which makes it perfect for those who struggle to control their weight.

Second, in addition to being an irreplaceable source of protein, chicken breast also serves as a source of vitamins (D, B-6) and minerals, such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Chicken breast also contains cobalamin, an essential vitamin that contributes to the formation of red blood cells.

The difference between chicken breast and tenderloin

If you’re making a dish that requires even pieces of chicken, you can easily cut the chicken breasts into strips so they’re the same size and shape as the tenderloins.

Due to its location, chicken tenderloin is much more tender.  It is a minor muscle that hides behind the pectoralis major, the largest muscle in the chest, and is rarely used.

While it’s easier to dry out chicken breast, it’s much easier to ruin delicate chicken tenderloins. Although both chicken breast and tenderloins are easy to cook, tenderloins need a little more TLC when cooking.

Taste-wise, chicken tenderloins taste the same as chicken breast.

One factor that makes chicken tenderloin “special” is the price at which it is sold in supermarkets. Chicken tenderloins are more expensive than chicken breasts.

However, it is recommended to buy a whole chicken breast instead of separate tenderloins. Some “chicken fillets” you can find in stores are simply chicken breasts cut into long, narrow pieces.

Tenderloins are smaller in size than chicken breasts. This means they take less time to marinate and cook. You can substitute chicken tenderloins for the chicken breast, but be sure to pay attention to the marinade and cooking time.

Many people consider chicken tenderloins to be one with the breast. Therefore, they assume that tenderloins have the same nutritional value as chicken breast.

However, tenderloins differ in the number of calories and other nutrients. They are slightly more caloric due to their higher fat content and do not have the same nutritional value as chicken breast.

Chicken breast is an important source of vitamins such as potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and vitamins B6 and D.

In general, chicken breast is more nutritious. However, if you want to try the most tender chicken meat, the tenderloin is the best candidate.

How to extract the tenderloins from the chicken breast?

Sirloin is a very delicious piece of white meat that definitely needs attention. Some people miss it when cutting up a chicken, since it’s in a pretty hidden spot.

To remove the tenderloin from the chicken breast, you need to lay the breast on the cutting board so that you can see the tenderloin through the breastbone. 

The sirloin is attached to the brisket by a tendon. To remove the tenderloin, you have to make a cut through the sternum and cut through the tendon. After making these cuts, you can easily separate the tenderloin from the brisket.

The healthiest ways to cook chicken breast and tenderloin

Chicken tenderloins are lean pieces of white meat that are very versatile in terms of cooking methods. However, with how plain chicken is, it’s pretty easy to mess it up. Drying chicken breast or tenderloins is a matter of seconds.

So how should you cook them to make them delicious and healthy?

How to cook a healthy chicken tenderloin

Before doing anything with the chicken tenderloins, it’s important to prepare them properly. Since it is a very tender piece of meat, it is important to properly marinate it before cooking so that the moisture remains in the meat and does not dry out easily.

To prepare the chicken tenderloin, marinate it with a little lemon or lime juice and don’t forget the seasonings. For the marinade to permeate the meat well, make some cuts in the sirloin.

The healthiest ways to cook chicken tenderloin are steamed, poached, and baked on parchment paper. 

Steaming chicken tenderloin is the easiest way to keep the meat moist on the inside and not add unhealthy ingredients.

Poaching is another method of cooking chicken tenderloin without adding oil or any other ingredients that add more calories. You just have to put the meat in salted water over low heat. Tender meat won’t take too long to cook.

If you want baked chicken tenderloin but don’t want to use oil, then parchment paper is best.

The tenderloins will not only cook beautifully on the parchment paper, but you will also get a delicious sauce from the natural juices collected in the parchment bag.

How to cook a healthy chicken breast

Chicken breast is a healthy ingredient and a good source of protein. It can be cooked in many ways.

In fact, the chicken breast is a blank canvas when it comes to cooking . You can make it bland or make it tasty.

Chicken breast is the favorite food of many health enthusiasts. However, you should keep in mind that it is only healthy when it does not have skin, since it contains a lot of fat.

The healthiest ways to cook chicken breast are on the grill and in the oven .

Grilling is a great way to cook chicken breasts without adding unhealthy ingredients like oil or sauces. However, the grilled chicken breast turns out to be very tasty.

Like the tenderloins in the parchment bag, the baked chicken is a quick, easy and healthy way to cook the chicken in its own juices. You can marinate the breasts before putting them in the oven to keep the meat tender and moist.

Related questions

What goes well with chicken breast and tenderloin?

Since chicken breast and tenderloin taste exactly the same, you can pair both pieces of chicken with the same side dishes.

Some of the best options to serve as a garnish for chicken breast or tenderloin are

• Mashed potatoes or a potato salad
• Cabbage salad
• Green salad
• Rice
• Roasted or grilled vegetables

What is the difference between chicken strips and chicken loin?

Although chicken tenderloins are also called chicken strips , the latter term can be used to refer to any part of the chicken cut into strips. The chicken breast is usually the most suitable part to make “chicken strips”.

Thus, the difference between chicken strips and tenderloins is that the latter are a specific muscle, located along the sternum, while the former are simply chicken meat cut into strips.