A terrific alternative to chicken, these chipotle soy turkey tenderloins have a winning combination of hoisin and soy sauce and are easy to prepare!
Looking for something new? The next time you see turkey breast tenderloins at the grocery store, pick up a package. This versatile, lean protein is a fabulous alternative to the usual chicken breasts. Each serving gives you 26 grams of protein for just 120 calories. Typically sold in 20 oz packages, leftovers make the perfect sandwich or quick salad the next day for lunch.
Ingredients:
- Turkey Breast Tenderloins: Like I mentioned above, turkey tenderloin is low in fat and calories while high in protein. It’s a very specific cut from the turkey breast, skinless and boneless, and ready for you to cook.
- Hoisin Sauce: Most commonly used in Cantonese cooking, hoisin sauce is great to use to glaze or marinade meat, and is sweet and salty in taste.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: Also known for it’s use in Chinese cooking, soy sauce adds a great umami flavor to dishes. Since it is so high in sodium, I like to use low-sodium to make the recipe more accessible.
- Garlic: High in nutrients while low in calories, garlic blends well with the other ingredients while bringing a nutty, sweet flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Brings needed acidity to the dish, as well as fresh flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Commonly used in Mexican sauces, it’s smoky flavor brings a little bit of heat while pairing well with the rest of the sweet and tangy marinade. If worried about it being too hot, remove the seeds and pith.
How to Make Chipotle Soy Turkey Tenderloins
To get started with your marinade, grate your garlic into a large measuring cup or medium sized bowl.
Next, add your hoisin sauce to the garlic.
Followed by your low-sodium soy sauce.
Finish off with your chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and lemon juice. I used fresh lemon juice, but you could use bottled as well.
Give your marinade a nice good whisking to get all of the ingredients incorporated.
Put your turkey tenderloins in a large plastic bag, and pour your marinade in on top. Give it a little shake to get everything coated, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better. I like to leave mine overnight.
After your turkey has been left to marinade, you are ready to grill! Pre-heat your grill to high, and place your turkey tenderloins on. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning them every 3 minutes. Once done, remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting or serving. While your meat rests, put your scallions on the grill for about 4 minutes, if you’ve decided to include those.
Once you’ve let your turkey tenderloins rest, it’s ready to slice and serve. Garnish with your grilled scallions, and I like to serve mine with brown rice.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Could I use something other than turkey?
This marinade works perfectly with anything from pork to beef to chicken, though the ideal swap is probably pork tenderloin. In fact, it would be fabulous with grilled vegetables such as portabella mushrooms or eggplant. The options are endless.
What do you use to grate your garlic?
I love using my microplane to grate garlic. I don’t ever use a garlic press or knife to mince, I always microplane! But you could also use the smallest size on a cheese grater.
How do I store the leftovers?
Kept in an air-tight container, you can keep the leftover turkey tenderloins in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Suggested Side Dishes
Need some other tasty dishes to round out your meal? Here are some grilled or roasted sides to try!
- Grilled Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries
- Greek Marinated Grilled Vegetables
- Grilled Corn with Barbecue Sauce
- Lemon Dill Green Beans
If you are looking for a new protein to add to your meal rotation, I promise you won’t be disappointed with these Chipotle Soy Turkey Tenderloins.
Your fork is waiting.
Chipotle Soy Turkey Tenderloins
Ingredients
- 20 ounces turkey breast tenderloins (extra lean)
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 4 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (minced)
- Bunch scallions (optional garnish)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, wisk together hoisin sauce with soy, garlic, lemon juice, and chipotle peppers.
- Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add turkey tenderloins.
- Marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to cook, pre-heat grill to high.
- Grill turkey tenderloins 3 minutes per side until fully cooked, about 14-15 minutes total.
- Let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- While meat is resting, brush scallions with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper.
- Grill 4 minutes.
This is so delicious. I used the air fryer and they came out perfect! This will be my go to turkey recipe for my meal prep.
Sounds amazing! What would your oven cooking instructions be?
I would bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until it reaches an internal temp of 160.
Perfect! Thank you!