If you are a nonveg person, then chicken is your favorite meal, I think. Now sometimes, you don’t know about chicken body parts, or you get confused between the tenderloin and breast part of the chicken. And why they are so different from each other. So here I just try to give a detailed idea about the basic difference between the two of them. By reading this Chicken tenderloin vs. breast comparison article, you will also get to know which one is perfect for any specific recipe. So let us get to know about this:
What is tenderloin, and why is it so popular?
Now tenderloin is a tricky part of a whole chicken. Chicken tender is a thin muscle linked up with the underside of the breast part. This one is a solid piece that is just like chicken breast. But it’s a pretty small part. That’s why it’s easy to miss it. You can get two separate tenderloins from one chicken. It is easy to find a tenderloin if you know about chicken parts. This chicken tender can be located behind the pictorial minors. Delicate lines look like white meat, but it’s very tender and juicy. In 45g chicken tenderloins, you can get 2% fat and 74 calories. And yes, tenderloins are extra fatty.
What is the breast piece of chicken?
Chicken breast is famous for its nutritional value. It is a slice of low-fat solid meat attached with ribs. So if you remove the rib, you can find a beautiful piece of chicken breast. It is full of nutrients and easy to locate, and also you can make tons of recipes with this. Most health-conscious people love to eat this piece. It has a massive portion of protein, minerals, vitamins, and less fat. 100 gm of chicken breast contains only 3.6gm fat but 36 gms protein and 165 calories.
How to remove tenderloin to breast part
The separation of tenderloin and breast parts is a little tricky. Because most people don’t locate the tender portion, they cut the total quantity of the breast line. But tenderloin is situated alongside breast pieces. 
When you put your chicken breast on the cutting board, you can locate the tendering. This piece attaches to the breast side with the help of the tendon. If you want to get the tender line, you need to cut the tender side from the breastbone. You can easily separate the thin section from the breast piece by doing that.
What is the difference between chicken tenderloin and breast piece?
The primary difference list between this two-part chicken is quite lengthy. Like:
- Texture: From the name, you can realize the tenderloin is more juicy and tender than chicken breast. On the other hand, the breast piece is more dry and rough than the others.
- Flavor: Like extra tenderness, the tenderloin portion is also rich in flavor. But breast pieces are blended in taste.
- Locations: Chicken breasts are attached with ribs, so if you remove the rib portion, you can easily find the thick meat layer and breast piece. On the other hand, the tender one locates the underside of the breast side. It is a little bit tricky to identify.
- Size: The size is also different from each other. Because the breast piece is quite larger than the tenderloin, breast pieces are thick in length, and the tender one is thinner than the main one.
- Cooking preparation: The tenderloins are very soft and moist, but it has their flavor. On the other hand, the breast piece doesn’t have any flavor. So it exceptionally blends in taste.
- Absorption process: As I told you before, a tender one has its flavor, so the breast piece is perfect for absorption of any flavor easily.
- Cooking time: chicken breasts are thicker than a tender piece; that’s why they also need some extra time to cook.
- Price: The tender one is slightly more expensive than the breast piece, and it is a better option if you can buy a whole chicken.
- Taste: There is a difference in the texture of these two meat, but otherwise, both taste the same. There is no difference between these two-part.
Nutrition Comparison: Chicken Tenderloin Vs Breast
Here is the main difference. Because there is a vast nutrition difference between these two chicken parts.Like :
- Chicken tenderloin: In 45 gm of chicken tenderloin, it contains:
- Calories:74,
- Total fat: 1.6gm,
- Cholesterol:38 mg,
- Sodium:33mg,
- Protein:14gm.
- Chicken Breast piece: In 100gm of chicken breast piece, it contains:
- Calories:165,
- Total fat: 3.6gm,
- Cholesterol:85 mg,
- Sodium:74mg,
- Protein:31gm.
From the list, you can easily differentiate the nutritious values. Chicken breasts are healthier than tender ones and breast side because it also contains some zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin D, manganese, etc., but it’s absent in tenderloin.
How to cook Chicken Tenderloin
Cooking tenderloin is an easy process. This piece of texture is a plus point for every recipe. So that you don’t think about the tenderness, it also quickly absorbs any flavor. So you can show off your inner chief in any recipe. Like you can bake it. And yes, it is a very healthy way to cook it. First, you need to marinate it with any of the spices you wish, then dump it in the convection oven. After some time, you can get a healthy, tasty chicken. And the other part. In another method, you can also poach it with water. And yes, you also used as many spices as you wanted. And another way is steaming. This cooking process still up the inner tenderness, making it more tasty and juicy.
How to cook Chicken breast Piece
The chicken breast part is a blend type of meat. That’s why it can easily absorb every flavor quickly. It is like a blank space, and you can paint it with whatever spices you want. The breast piece is famous for its nutritional value. That’s why I always try to make a healthy recipe with this. Baking and grilling are mainly healthy ways to cook. You can also quickly stir fry any breast pieces. Just rub some olive oil, rose merry, and some seasoning. Try to make it as simple as you can. Don’t try to use heavy cream or butter if you want a light meal. The shredded solid chicken pieces are also delicious in soup. Most of the time, restaurants use this breast piece, which is also essential in any healthy soup.
Bottom Line
In the end, chicken breast and tenderloin are tasty and easy to cook. There is no significant difference between the two parts. If you are a food lover, you can use many spices with them, or if you are a health-seeking person, you can also cook it gently. These are tasty in both ways. But tenderloins are more expensive than breast pieces. So if you want to save money, you can buy a whole chicken from the store and cut any piece as you wish. And you also use it with each substitute.
FAQs:
Does chicken tenderloin taste better than breast pieces?
No. both taste the same. But yes, the tender texture is also different from the breast piece. It didn’t make any change in taste.
Is chicken tenderloin dark meat?
No. It’s pure white meat. So you can quickly eat this.
How can I know whether the chicken breast is cooked or not?
If you have a kitchen thermometer, put it in a breast piece. So if the temperature reaches 165F, then it is cooked properly. If you don’t have any, then cut between them; if it turns white, then it’s ready to eat.
Can I use breast pieces as a substitute for tenderloin?
Yes. You can. But it would be best if you had some extra time to cook a tender one properly.
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