The Easiest Sazon Chicken Dinner
Okay, friends. If you need a chicken dinner that is fast, flavorful, and requires basically zero fuss, this is it.
These Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders are golden on the outside, juicy in the middle, and covered in a savory tomato-garlic sauce that makes the whole kitchen smell ridiculously good.
And the best part?
You can get this on the table in about 15 minutes.
Yes. Fifteen.
This is the dinner for those nights when everyone is hungry, you have approximately zero interest in making a complicated meal, and you still want something that tastes like you actually tried.
Let’s make some chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Please tell me you have those nights, too.
You know the ones.
It’s getting late. Everyone is hungry. You open the fridge and stare into it like dinner might magically reveal itself.
That’s where these chicken tenders come in.
They are fast. The chicken cooks quickly, and the sauce comes together right in the same skillet.
They are BIG on flavor. Sazon brings that savory, aromatic goodness, while garlic, scallions, and tomato make the sauce taste like way more work went into it than actually did.
They are simple. No complicated marinade. No long ingredient list. No pile of dirty dishes.
They are saucy. And honestly, this might be my favorite part. That tomato sauce gets spooned right over the chicken and is begging for some rice underneath it.
And because the recipe uses chicken tenders, everything cooks quickly enough for a very real-life weeknight dinner.
For Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Tenders – I use 1.25 lbs of chicken tenders for this dish, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips, if preferred.
- Dry Sazon Seasoning – This is where all the flavor comes from. You can use store-bought or make your own sazon mix.
- Kosher Salt – Just enough to season the chicken to taste.
- Olive Oil – For frying the chicken and creating a nice golden crust.
- Scallions – Adds a fresh, slightly oniony flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic – For that savory depth of flavor.
- Tomato – Adds richness and some natural sweetness to the sauce.
- Chicken Broth – To bring everything together into a saucy, flavorful base.
For Skillet Sazon Sauce
- Chicken Broth – Reduced sodium for a balanced flavor. You can substitute vegetable broth if preferred.
- Salt – For seasoning the sauce to taste.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is one of those recipes where you look at the skillet halfway through and think, Ohhh. This is going to be good.
1. Season the chicken.
Start by seasoning the chicken tenders with sazon seasoning and a pinch of salt.
That’s it.
No complicated marinade situation happening here. We’re keeping things easy.
2. Get that chicken golden.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, then add the chicken tenders.
Let them cook until they get beautifully golden on the first side, then flip and finish cooking.
Once they’re done, move them out of the skillet and set them aside.
Do not clean the skillet.
We need all those little browned bits for what comes next.
3. Sauté the scallions.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and toss in the diced scallions.
Let them cook until they soften and start smelling amazing.
And now your kitchen is officially in business.
4. Add the garlic and tomato.
Stir in the crushed garlic and let it cook for a minute.
Then add the diced tomato and season with salt.
Cook until the tomato softens and the mixture starts to thicken.
This is where things start getting saucy.
5. Bring in the broth.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together.
The broth loosens everything up and pulls the tomato, garlic, scallions, and seasoning into one delicious little skillet sauce.
6. Add the chicken back.
Return the cooked chicken tenders to the skillet.
Cover and let them simmer briefly so the sauce can thicken and coat the chicken.
And there you have it.
Golden chicken. Saucy tomatoes. Garlic. Sazon.
Dinner is happening.
7. Serve!
Spoon that tomato sauce all over the chicken and serve it while everything is hot and saucy.
And if you’re serving this with rice?
Please let some of that sauce run into the rice.
You will thank me later.
Expert Tips
A few little things make a big difference here.
Give the chicken room.
If your skillet is too crowded, the chicken won’t brown as nicely.
We want golden chicken, not pale chicken that looks like it just had a very boring afternoon.
Don’t rush the browning.
Once the chicken is in the skillet, let it cook.
Resist the urge to constantly flip and move it around. That golden crust is doing important work in the flavor department.
Keep the skillet.
Again: do not wash the skillet between the chicken and the sauce.
Those browned bits left behind are flavor.
The scallions, garlic, tomato, and broth will pick them right up.
Taste the sauce before adding more salt.
Sazon seasoning and chicken broth can both bring salt to the party.
So taste first.
Then decide if you need more.
Cut chicken breasts evenly if you use them.
Chicken tenders are naturally convenient here, but chicken breasts work, too.
Just cut them into evenly sized strips or pieces so they cook at roughly the same rate.
And please don’t forget the sauce.
This isn’t just something sitting next to the chicken.
It is part of the whole thing.
Spoon it over the chicken. Spoon it over your rice. Get every last bit.
Recipe Variations
Obviously, this chicken is pretty wonderful exactly as written.
But if you’re looking around your kitchen thinking, What else can I do with this? — here are a few ideas.
Use chicken breasts.
No tenders?
No problem.
Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips or bite-sized pieces and use those instead.
Add some veggies.
This skillet is a very friendly place for vegetables.
Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach would all work nicely here.
Add them while you’re sautéing the scallions and garlic so they have time to soften and become part of that saucy tomato situation.
Make it spicy.
If you’re a heat person, go for it.
A little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes will give the chicken some extra kick.
Start small. You can always add more.
Use homemade sazon.
If you already have homemade sazon in the pantry, absolutely use it.
If not, store-bought sazon makes this recipe wonderfully easy.
No shame in taking the shortcut.
Use regular chicken broth.
The recipe calls for reduced-sodium chicken broth, but regular chicken broth can work too.
Just remember that the salt level can vary, so taste the sauce before adding more seasoning.
Storage & Reheating
Got leftovers?
Excellent.
The chicken and sauce can be stored together in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to reheat, warm everything gently in a skillet over medium-low heat.
If the sauce has thickened up in the fridge — which it probably will — add a tiny splash of broth or water to loosen it.
For a single serving, the microwave works just fine, too. Heat in short intervals until warmed through.
And honestly, I love having that extra sauce around because it keeps the chicken tasting juicy instead of sad and dry.
Nobody wants sad leftover chicken.
Serving Suggestions
Now let’s talk about what goes under all that saucy chicken.
Rice.
That’s my first move.
Fluffy white rice + golden sazon chicken + that tomato-garlic sauce?
Yes, please.
You could also serve it with:
- Brown rice
- Roasted vegetables
- Sautéed zucchini or peppers
- A simple green salad
- Warm tortillas
- Beans
Or just grab whatever vegetable you have in the fridge and call it dinner.
This recipe is wonderfully flexible like that.
And whatever you serve alongside it, make sure there’s something around to catch that sauce.
Because leaving it behind would be a tragedy.
One More Thing
I love recipes like this.
Not because they’re fancy.
Actually, kind of the opposite.
They’re the recipes you make when you need dinner to work.
You need it to be quick. You need it to taste good. You need the ingredient list to feel manageable. And you definitely don’t need a sink full of dishes staring at you afterward.
These Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders check all those boxes.
The chicken gets golden. The tomato and garlic turn into a quick little sauce. Everything comes back together in one skillet.
And before you know it, you’ve got a plate of tender, saucy, seriously flavorful chicken sitting in front of you.
Fifteen-minute dinner magic.
I’ll take it.
- Can I use store-bought sazon seasoning instead of homemade?
Sure! If you don’t have homemade sazon on hand, store-bought works just fine. Use about 1 tablespoon of sazon for the chicken, and you’re good to go! - Can I use boneless chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders?
Absolutely! Just slice the chicken breasts into strips or bite-sized pieces for even cooking. Same delicious result! - Do I need to use reduced-sodium chicken broth?
Not at all! If you have regular chicken broth, feel free to use it. Just be mindful of how much extra salt you add to the recipe. - Can I add veggies to this dish?
Yes! Feel free to throw in veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or even spinach. Add them when you’re sautéing the scallions and garlic to let them soften and blend into the sauce. - How can I make this dish spicier?
If you like a little heat, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasoning mix or sauté them with the garlic. Adjust the spice to your liking!
Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders – Quick & Easy Weeknight Dinner
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs (8) chicken tenders
- 1½ tsp dry sazon seasoning (or use homemade sazon)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- ½ cup diced scallions
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium chicken broth (check for Whole30 and gluten-free compliance)
Instructions
- Season the chicken tenders with dry sazon seasoning and a pinch of salt.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken tenders and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the tenders and cook for an additional 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil to the skillet and sauté the diced scallions over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for another minute. Add the diced tomato, season with salt, and cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomato softens and the mixture thickens.
- Pour in the chicken broth, stirring to combine. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, cover, and simmer for 1–2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and coat the chicken.
- Serve the chicken with the tomato sauce and enjoy!
Nutrition
