7 Frozen Chicken Tenders That Beat Fast Food, Ranked
Chicken tenders offer a lot more bang for the buck in terms of meat than nuggets, making them a more adult-friendly option. I love a good chicken tender, as it makes getting my protein fix as simple as tossing a frozen piece of chicken in the air fryer. They taste great on salads, in wraps, or eaten solo with some delicious dip. However, not all tenders are created equal. Some are crispier, juicier, and overall, tastier than others. Here are the seven best frozen chicken tenders that beat fast-food chains, ranked.
Kidfresh White Meat Chicken Sticks
Don’t let the kid-friendly branding fool you—Kidfresh White Meat Chicken Sticks—which are more of chicken fries, have clean ingredients and real crunch that even super picky kids approve of. “My kiddo is super picky & hardly eats. Someone gave her a Tyson chicken stick and she loved it but they seemed greasy so I wanted to find a better option. These seem better quality and taste good. She loved them! It’s always exciting when I can find something she will actually eat,” one Target shopper says.
Perdue Simply Smart Organics Breaded Chicken Strips
Perdue Simply Smart Organics Breaded Chicken Strips are lightly breaded, oven-crispy, and made with no antibiotics—better than most quick-serve options. They are “Amazing,” exclaims a shopper. “Definitely recommend using an air fryer or baking for longer to get them a little crispier but these are great,” they continue. “These are minimally processed whole pieces of chicken that are battered.” Another says: “These are the best frozen chicken I’ve ever had! They a perfect in the air fryer! If you are conscious of the amount of fat in frozen chicken tenders you’d understand that they have about half of any others I’ve seen on the market which is great for people tracking their food!”
Trader Joe’s Breaded Chicken Tenderloin Breasts
I have been buying Trader Joe’s Breaded Chicken Tenderloin Breasts for years. The big, meaty tenders with a thick, crunchy breading that holds up beautifully in the oven or air fryer, are definitely an adult-friendly version of tenders, with more nutritional benefits than most others. “I’ve thrown them in a Caesar salad, made crispy chicken wraps, made chicken parm, and have eaten them straight with bbq/ranch/honey,” one Redditor says.
Tyson Air Fried Chicken Breast Strips
With 75% less fat and still tons of crisp, these strips are a lighter alternative that doesn’t skimp on flavor. “Compare the ingredients of these (or the air fryer nuggets). They’re MUCH cleaner. IE healthier. They taste great IMO,” one Kroger shopper writes. “These are so good real chicken,” another says.
Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips
Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips taste shockingly close to Chick-fil-A, with juicy all-white meat and a perfectly seasoned coating. “These are completely worth the price and the only chicken when we arent doing fresh that my family will eat!! Dont listen to all the bad reviews and get yourself a bag and throw them in the air fryer you will NOT regret it goes with LITERALLY any meal,” one shopper says. “These are the best frozen tenders I’ve ever purchased. I am extremely picky about my meat quality and texture and these pass the test. I cook these in the air fryer and will put them on salads or eat them on their own,” adds another.
Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders
Applegate Naturals Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders are made with humanely raised chicken and no artificial junk, they’re clean, crispy, and craveable. “Great taste for gluten-free. I eat these all the time. They are pricey but it’s a healthier option for those with stomach problems. Definitely a better quality processed food for chicken tenders,” one shopper says. “This is the best gluten and dairy free chicken strips out there. It is amazing. Put it in your air fryer and cook it up. It is delicious. I love it.”
Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders
Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders are premium hand-trimmed, ultra-crispy, and bursting with juicy flavor that easily beats the drive-thru, frozen raw, and breaded. “These are my go to on a lazy dinner day . They taste good but make sure u cook all the way because they aren’t fully cooked frozen !! I put them in a wrap ! Very good and not bad ingredients,” one shopper says. “I love these chicken tenders with coconut in the breading. They also have the lowest amount of sodium in frozen chicken tenders I have been able to find. The only problem: My local Whole Foods is always out of stock. When I find them I buy 3 boxes.”
