11 Chain Restaurant Chicken Tenders Made With 100% Chicken, Not Slime
Chicken tenders are one of the most popular food items for adults and kids alike, but not all tenders are made equal. Some restaurants use low-quality chicken packed with fillers in their tenders and nuggets, and it shows with the taste and quality. Luckily there are many chains that proudly only use the best ingredients that customers can actually recognize instead of relying on additives to keep prices down. Here are 11 restaurant chains where the tenders are made with 100% real chicken, and no weird slime.
Culver’s
Culver’s Original Chicken Tenders are made from whole white meat chicken—the actual chicken tender. “You can tell they aren’t puréed chicken because when you rip it open you can see the pieces ripping apart, if that makes sense. A chicken tender made with puréed chicken would just break in half when you rip it open,” one fan said.
Freddy’s
Freddy’s takes so much pride in their chicken tenders, they even show fans how to make them at home. “From the wide range of flavor pairings to the various ways in which to prepare and serve homemade chicken tenders, it’s no surprise that they are a favorite dish of diners of all ages,” the chain says. “We offer both 3 piece and 5 piece chicken tenders as part of our combo meals and on their own. Our crispy tenders are also available in the Kid’s Tender Combo!”
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A‘s Chick-n-Strips are made from boneless chicken tenders seasoned to perfection, freshly breaded and cooked in 100% refined peanut oil. “I prefer the strips,” one fan said. “IMO they taste more tender and juicy whereas the nuggets are closer to the traditional balled up processed chicken chunks.” Another set the record straight, saying, “CFA is not processed chicken. The difference is tenderloin meat (strip) vs large muscle breast meat (nuggets).”
Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane‘s only uses chicken tenderloins for its famous Chicken Fingers. “Our certified ‘Bird Specialists’ hand batter premium chicken that’s marinated for 24 hours, then cooked to order for fingers that are hot and tender down to the last bite,” the chain says. “very meal is cooked to order, because when it comes to fresh, delicious food, we never compromise (and neither should you).”
Church’s Texas Chicken
Church’s Texas Chicken is proud to serve up crunchy hand breaded tenders made from 100% chicken breast. “The spicy tenders are a go to! All the sides are bomb too. Fried chicken sandwich reasonably priced too,” one diner shared.
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen’s delicious fan-favorite chicken strips are made from “100% all white meat tenderloin chicken”, the company says. “I worked at a DQ a long time ago, and sometimes for my lunch I’d get the chicken tenders. I liked them with the barbecue sauce,” an employee shared.
Jollibee
Jollibee‘s chicken tenders are hand-breaded and made from all white-meat chicken tenderloins. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. “If you can handle spicy, their spicy chicken is THE item that makes Jollibee Jollibee to me,” one fan said.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell‘s Crispy Chicken Strips are made from all-white meat, marinated with bold Mexican spices, and tossed in a crunchy tortilla chip coating. “Taco Bell hands down has the best fried chicken tenders of any national fast food chain,” one fan said. “I’ve eaten a good amount of fast food in my time, and I’m simply amazed at how delicious the chicken nuggets/tenders are at Taco Bell when they are a) dropped fresh and b) not burnt.”
Jack In the Box
Jack In the Box’s Crispy Chicken Strips are the real deal. “Our 100% all-white meat crispy chicken strips are bigger and better than ever. It’s what your stomach would order if it could talk,” the chain says. Jack’s Spicy Chicken is also made with 100% all white meat spicy crispy chicken fillet with tomato, lettuce & mayo on a toasted buttery bakery bun.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s new Tendys are another great option for chicken lovers. “These crunchy, premium Chicken Tenders are flavor-packed and savory, made with seasoned, crispy breading and juicy, all-white-meat chicken,” the chain says. “They’re everything a tender fan could want: crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.”
Arby’s
Arby’s Chicken Tenders are not nuggets, the chain promises. “These are breaded chunks of tender chicken breast meat that we fry in our restaurants every day. They taste great plain, but if you add one of our famous sauces, your mouth will remember this meal for the rest of its life.”