THE BEST FAST FOOD CHICKEN TENDERS

New York Post

 

The best fast food chicken tenders, according to an expert — and the number one pick is clucking weird

By Alex Mitchell

Published Dec. 18, 2024, 9:22 p.m. ET

 

Someone ought to tender their resignation.

 

A popular food critic has selected the best fast food chicken tenders in the US — naming a baffling pick number one in the country.

 

Jenn Harris, a dining writer for the LA Times, delivered the shock verdict in a detailed article that walks readers through her taste tests at a number of different chains, nearly all with nationwide coverage.

 

And while some choices will earn nods of recognition from poultry pundits, others are sure to ruffle feathers.

 

The value-sized basket of tendy tidings comes as Gen Z diners are swapping beef for bird, experts say — with even the likes of Taco Bell jumping into the breaded and fried fray.

 

At least there’s one thing everyone can mostly likely agree on — Burger King’s Chicken Fries are the absolute worst.

 

Here, a close look at the rowdy rankings.

 

11. Burger King

 

Burger King ranked worst on the rankings.

 

Burger King’s days of sovereign rule may be over — and certainly as far as their chicken fries are concerned, the critic suggested.

 

“They tasted like long, rubbery nuggets,” Harris wrote of the meal worthy of “eternal chicken tender damnation.”

 

“An order of four felt like the light snack you might eat while you assemble a real snack.”

 

10. Jack in the Box

Jack In The Box also ranked low on the list.

 

This Western US favorite also didn’t fare well in the contest.

 

“As soon as we took our first bites, the illusion of greatness crumbled,” she wrote. They were greasy to the touch. And the bitter taste of old grease was the dominant flavor.”

 

9. Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A had ranked shockingly low.

 

Often idealized as America’s ultimate chicken chain, Harris took a swipe at the fast food fave.

 

“The chicken was moist with no oily aftertaste, but we couldn’t get over the sweetness of the tenders,” she wrote.

 

“The Chick-fil-A sauce, thick and gloppy and even sweeter, only made things worse.”

 

8. Chicken Guy

Chicken Guy by Guy Fieri did not rank well.

 

This fast food venture from Food Network host Guy Fieri, which has locations everywhere from Times Square to Disney World, was also panned by Harris for having too much of a sweet taste in its panko-style crusted tenders.

 

7. Jollibee

Harris said Joliebee was too greasy.

 

This Filipino fast-food chain that’s become a hit from coast to coast didn’t quite cut it either, Harris said.

 

She wrote that “the overwhelming taste of fry oil” left the tenders teetering toward a “rancid” flavor — even despite ample juiciness.

 

6. KFC

KFC also did not impress Harris.

 

Colonel Sanders saves the day? Sort of.

 

The taste tester said the chain’s gravy helped to redeem salty chicken that “was tough, and you could pull away strips like string cheese.”

 

5. Church’s Chicken

Harris said that Church's tenders were quite forgettable.

 

The offering here needs some kind of dipping sauce to be edible, Harris said, calling Church’s wayward effort “the least memorable of the bunch, but not terrible.”

 

However, she insisted on BYOS — bring your own sauce — as the hot sauce and gravy reportedly could use divine intervention.

 

4. Carl’s Jr

Carl's Jr. had scored better than most.

 

Harris said this West Coast standard is more worthy of the kid’s menu.

 

“The meat tasted like juicy strips of chicken breast. The only problem is you need to eat them immediately,” she wrote. “They didn’t retain their crunch as well as some of the others.”

 

3. Raising Cane’s

Raising Cane's was a top pick of Harris.

 

The Louisiana-born chain — now rapidly expanding from coast to coast, including NYC — took the bronze on a so-far somewhat depressing list.

 

“The chicken tastes and feels like actual chicken. And though the coating doesn’t grip the meat as well as I’d like, it’s crunchy and stays crunchy,” she wrote.

 

“The fingers are a little bland, but that’s what the Cane’s sauce is for,” Harris said, referring to Raising Cane’s signature remoulade-esque dip.

 

2. Popeyes

Popeye's narrowly took second place on the list.

 

Loved that chicken from Popeyes — just not enough to be number one, apparently.

 

Another Louisiana offering was at one point the critic’s top choice, she said, but eventually, the juicy and succulent tenders were awarded the silver medal.

 

Points off, Harris explained, for inconsistency — some bites were “plump and moist,” while others were “giant shards of crunchy coating.”

 

“They register as more of a crunchy snack than a meal,” she offered.

 

1. Wingstop

Harris said Wingstop was best in the US.

 

Harris went out on a limb to champion the wing chain, not widely known for its tenders.

 

The professional eater, however, enjoyed their nice crunch, size, and the “ideal consistency” of the ranch dip served alongside.

 

“Thick enough to coat your tender but not enough to be considered gloppy,” she said, returning to a familiar word for her sauce assessment.