A chicken tenderloin, also known as chicken tenders, chicken strips or chicken fillets, refers to the pectoralis minor muscles found on either side of a chicken’s breast. These long, thin strips of white breast meat are commonly breaded and deep fried into the popular appetizer known as chicken tenders. But when it comes to the size of a chicken tenderloin, one common question is: is a chicken tenderloin 4 oz?
The quick answer is that chicken tenderloins can vary in size and weight. While some may be close to 4 oz, most chicken tenderloins sold raw or prepared are smaller, in the 2-3 oz range. The exact weight depends on factors like the size and breed of the chicken, how the tenderloin is cut and trimmed, and whether it is weighed with or without the breading. So while a jumbo chicken tenderloin may hit the 4 oz mark, the typical tenderloin served at restaurants or sold for home cooking is going to be less than that.
Anatomy of a Chicken Breast
To better understand the size of chicken tenderloins, it helps to first look at the anatomy of a chicken breast. On either side of the breastbone in a chicken are two large breast muscles known as the pectoralis major. Above these muscles are the smaller, oval-shaped pectoralis minor muscles, which are commonly referred to as the tenderloins or tenders.
Chicken tenderloins are long, thin strips of meat that are attached along one side of the breastbone. They are separated from the larger breast muscle by a tough, fibrous tissue. When removed from the bone, the tenderloins are roughly 5-7 inches long and 1-2 inches wide depending on the size of the bird.
The tenderloins make up only a small portion of the total breast meat on a chicken. On a typical broiler chicken breast, the two tenderloins may account for just 10-20% of the total breast weight. For example, on an 8 oz chicken breast, the tenderloins might weigh just 1.5 – 2 oz total.
Average Weight of Raw Chicken Tenderloins
Because chicken tenderloins are relatively small in relation to the whole breast, their weight is also smaller. Here is a look at the average weight of raw chicken tenderloins:
– On a small broiler-fryer chicken, the tenderloins from one breast together may weigh 1 – 1.5 oz.
– For a typical grocery store chicken breast, the pair of tenderloins is often in the 1.5 – 2 oz range.
– Jumbo or extra large chicken breasts may have tenderloins weighing 2 – 2.5 oz.
– Free-range and organic chickens that are typically larger than conventional chickens could have tenderloins up to 3 oz.
– The largest tenderloins from premium chicken breeds could potentially reach 4 oz, but would likely be trimmed into smaller portions.
So as you can see, while chicken tenderloins can reach 4 oz, most raw tenderloins from conventional chicken breeds are smaller than that, averaging 1.5 – 2.5 oz total from one breast. The exact weight can vary based on the size of the chicken as well as how the tenderloins are trimmed and portioned.
Weight of Prepared Chicken Tenderloins
When it comes to prepared chicken tenderloins sold at restaurants, delis or frozen in grocery stores, the weight is also going to be less than 4 oz in most cases. Here are some examples:
– Unbreaded tenderloins are typically sold in 2 oz portions.
– Frozen chicken tenders that are breaded may be around 2.5 oz on average.
– At a restaurant or fast food place, a single breaded chicken tenderloin may weigh 2 – 3 oz.
– A kabob skewer with 3 breaded tenders could have up to 9 oz total.
– For chicken fingers or strips, the breading is lighter so the portion size may be around 3 oz.
Chicken Tenderloin Weights at Popular Restaurants
To look at some real-world examples, here are estimated tenderloin weights from the menus of several popular restaurants:
| Restaurant | Menu Item | Tenderloin Weight |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s | 4 piece Chicken McNuggets | 2.5 – 3 oz each |
| Chick-fil-A | 3 piece Chicken Strips | 2.5 – 3 oz each |
| Burger King | 3 piece Chicken Tenders | 2 – 2.5 oz each |
| Applebees | Boneless Wings (order of 6) | 2 – 2.5 oz each |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | Chicken Tenders (order of 5) | 3 – 3.5 oz each |
As you can see from these examples, while menu terminology may vary, most individual prepared chicken tenderloins or strips from chain restaurants are in the 2 to 3.5 oz range. A 4 oz tenderloin on a restaurant menu would be considered quite large.
Why Chicken Tenderloins are Usually Smaller than 4 oz
There are a few reasons why most chicken tenderloins, both raw and prepared, are smaller than 4 oz:
Small natural size
Chicken tenderloins are naturally petite muscles, so their weight is limited to start with. On an average chicken breast, the tenderloins may make up just 1/4 to 1/5 of the total weight. So getting a 4 oz tenderloin would require an exceptionally large chicken breast.
Uniform portioning
Commercially sold chicken tenderloins are usually portioned into uniform sizes for consistency. 2-3 oz is ideal for single-serve appetizer-sized portions. Restaurants want each tender to be the same size for consistent cooking.
Ideal breading-to-chicken ratio
Breaded chicken tenders need the right ratio of meat to breading. Too large and the breading overwhelms the chicken. For the ideal crunch-to-chicken balance, strips are often cut smaller than 4 oz.
Manageable bite sizes
Since chicken tenders are often eaten with the fingers, smaller portion sizes in the 2-3 oz range make for easy dipping and bite-sized pieces that won’t fall apart.
Price considerations
Chicken tenderloins are pricier than other chicken cuts, so restaurants control portion sizes to manage costs. Smaller tenderloins help balance profits.
So in summary, natural anatomy, sizing for consistency, breading proportions, bite convenience, and pricing factors all contribute to chicken tenderloins typically being less than 4 oz.
Are There Any 4 oz Chicken Tenders?
While less common, it is possible to find some larger chicken tenderloins in the 4 oz range. Here are a few examples:
Premium chicken breeds
Heirloom chicken breeds like Poulet Rouge or Jersey Giants can grow significantly larger than commercial broilers. Their tenderloins may reach 4 oz.
Free-range & organic chickens
Slower growing free-range and organic chickens are usually larger, so their tenderloins may also be heavier.
Jumbo catering orders
For large catering orders, restaurants may offer jumbo size tenders closer to 4 oz.
Meal kits & prepared meals
Some meal kit services and prepped meal plans may include extra large tenders to reduce the breading ratio.
Hand-cut tenderloins
Hand-cutting and trimming tenderloins rather than machine-portioning allows for more variability in sizing.
Butcher shops & delis
At a high-end butcher or grocery deli, you may be able to request 4 oz portions if they hand-prep tenders.
So while less common, it is possible to source chicken tenderloins that hit the 4 oz mark if you look to premium chickens, catering, meal services, hand-cut preparation, and specialty purveyors.
Conclusion
In the vast majority of cases, commercially sold raw or prepared chicken tenderloins will weigh less than the 4 oz mark. Due to their petite natural size, uniform portioning, ideal breading-to-chicken ratios, and pricing considerations, most chicken tenders max out at around 2-3 oz. Only premium chickens, jumbo orders, or specially cut tenders will ever approach the 4 oz range. So while it’s not impossible to find, a 4 oz chicken tender is going to be larger than the typical industry standard. At your average restaurant or grocery store, tenderloins are going to stick to smaller 1.5-3 oz portion sizes.