This Smart Chicken Hack is a Total Game Changer—and a Time Saver

Skinless, boneless chicken tenderloins are absolutely amazing- they are healthy, they are small enough to cook quickly and they’re easy to season. Unfortunately, raw chicken tenderloins sometimes have a "tendon," a tough, white piece of connective tissue that runs along one side of the tenderloin.

It's referred to as a "tendon" because it has a similar texture and appearance to tendons, and these can be tough and chewy, which is why most people remove them before cooking the chicken . You can eat the tendon, but it’s not very pleasant because of the tough and chewy texture. If you prefer to remove the tendon from your tenderloins, you're in luck because we came across a super smart trick to save the day.

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Content creator @tommywinkler (also known as The Food Guy) took to TikTok to show people how to remove that pesky little tendon in no time, and it’s a total game change- and time saver- for anyone who hates finding that piece in their chicken.

Tommy says you don’t have to cut around it. Instead, simply place the end of the tendon between the prongs of a fork and use a paper towel to help you grip the tendon (which he called fat). Then pull the tendon up as you use the fork to press the main part of the chicken down. The tendon should quickly and easily come away from the meat without cutting into the bulk of your chicken.

Once the large piece of tendon is removed, you should always check for smaller pieces that need to get cut off. To do that, you can use the knife to carefully cut them out if needed and discard of them.

Related: How to Make Restaurant-Style Chicken Tenders

In the comments to Tommy’s TikTok post, people were quick to remind him that the piece he called fat is actually a tendon. Whatever you want to call it, knowing how to get rid of it is what really matters, and this hack not only works, but it’s that is truly that simple.

The next time you want to remove that unwanted piece of tendon from your chicken tenderloin, give it a try! It may make your next barbecue easier and better. And seriously- don’t eat raw chicken.

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