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I ordered chicken tenders from 8 fast-food chains and ranked them from worst to best

October 23, 20240
Chicken tenders from Popeyes, KFC, and Whataburger.

Erin McDowell/Insider; lma_ss/Shutterstock; Ink Drop/Shutterstock; NYC Russ/Shutterstock

  • I tried chicken tenders from Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Whataburger, Raising Cane’s, KFC, Bojangles, Zaxby’s, and Cook Out.
  • Chick-fil-A and KFC’s chicken tenders were similar in their breaded texture.
  • Raising Cane’s impressed me with its crispy-yet-juicy tenders and delicious signature sauce.

Chicken tenders are a popular item at many fast-food chains; some chains have even built their entire business off them.

Todd Graves, for example, turned his idea for a chicken-finger restaurant into a billion-dollar business: Raising Cane’s. Graves is now the richest person in Louisiana, with an estimated net worth of $9.5 billion, and Cane’s is growing rapidly, with more than 800 restaurants in the US and internationally and billions in annual sales, Forbes reported. 

Other fast-food chains are also incorporating chicken tenders into their menus. This month, KFC released its own version, as well as a new commercial aimed at competitors titled, “The Chicken Tenders Battle Has Begun.”

To see which chain might win that battle, I compared chicken tenders from eight different fast-food chains from across the country, and a lesser-known — but quickly expanding — chain took the top spot. 

Here’s how the eight fast-food chicken tenders ranked, from worst to best, based on taste and value.

Of all the chicken tenders I tried, the ones from Whataburger didn’t completely wow me.
I paired the Whataburger chicken tender with ranch sauce.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I thought the tenders could only be described as “classic” — they weren’t anything out-of-the-box, but I enjoyed them.

The meat inside was juicy, but I thought the fried coating could have had a bit more crunch.
The Cook Out chicken tenders were the cheapest I tried.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The three-piece “snack” cost $4.99, not including tax.

The chicken tenders were crispy on the outside.
However, I didn’t think there was enough meat inside.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

These were undeniably classic chicken tenders, similar to the ones from Whataburger, but they were a touch too fried for my liking. However, I thought they were well-seasoned and had a lot of peppery flavor.

Chick-fil-A’s chicken tenders were good … but I really just used them as a vehicle for the chain’s Chick-fil-A sauce.
The breading was really crispy.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

There were small bits of fried breading scattered on the outside, which I always love with a chicken tender.

The chicken tenders were nicely fried but still juicy on the inside.
Popeyes sells its chicken tenders in a box combo with fries and a biscuit.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

A three-piece tender combo costs $16.89 before taxes and fees. The meal deal included a large serving of fries, a drink, and a biscuit, as well as a choice of dipping sauces. 

The chicken tenders from Popeyes were crispy, flaky, and crunchy.
I liked the flavor of these chicken tenders.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I also thought the batter was quite flavorful — I could taste hints of seasoning and buttermilk, although they weren’t quite as buttery-tasting as the Chick-fil-A tenders. However, I thought this meal was quite expensive for only three chicken tenders, even though they were large.

I thought the chicken tenders from Bojangles were flavorful and super crispy.
The Bojangles chicken tenders had a thick breading on the outside.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The texture and flavor of the breading made them taste like a cross between the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A and Cook Out. 

The breading was peppery, just the right thickness, and perfectly encapsulated the juicy white chicken meat inside.
The KFC chicken tenders came in a combo with fries and a drink.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I ordered a four-piece tender meal for $13.04, excluding taxes and fees. I thought this was an excellent value for the amount of food I received. 

The tenders were well-breaded on the outside, though the breading wasn’t as crispy or crunchy as others I tried.
The meat was juicy, though the breading could have been crunchier.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

However, the slightly less crispy texture of the breading meant they didn’t come out on top when compared to the last two chains I tried.

My second-favorite chicken tenders came from Zaxby’s.
Zaxby’s chicken tenders had a slight sweetness to them.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

The breading was perfectly crispy and super flavorful, with a slight sweetness.

The chicken tenders held their own without sauce but were really taken to the next level when dipped in the tangy Zax sauce.
Raising Cane’s blew me away with their box of chicken tenders, fries, toast, and sauces.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

My six-piece meal cost $15.99, including tax, but a three-finger combo that includes three chicken fingers, fries, Cane’s sauce, Texas toast, and a regular drink costs $9.23, excluding tax and any additions or swaps. 

The chicken tenders were super crispy.
The Raising Cane’s chicken tenders were my favorite of the ones I tried.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried the tenders on their own and with the Cane’s sauce. On their own, the tenders were simply everything one could ask for — thick, juicy, and crispy on the outside.

However, the chain is famous for its chicken-complementing sauce, and after biting in, I could definitely see why. It had a slight kick to it, was super creamy, and surprisingly tangy. It paired perfectly with the chicken and was unlike any other sauce I’ve ever tried.

In the end, Raising Cane’s took home the win for me with the chain’s near-perfect chicken tenders and fair prices.

Read the original article on Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-chicken-tenders-ranked-2022-1