Where to Buy the Yummiest Chicken Tenders in 2025: Your Ultimate Guide

Are ya cravin’ some delicious chicken tenders but not sure where to get ’em? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! As a total chicken tender enthusiast (yes, I’m not ashamed to admit it), I’ve spent way too much time hunting down the best places to buy these crispy delights. Whether you want frozen options to cook at home, fresh tenders to season yourself, or hot ready-to-eat ones for an immediate fix, this guide will help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Major Grocery Stores and Supermarkets

Kroger

Kroger offers a fantastic selection of chicken tenders in various forms

Frozen Options:

• Kroger® Breaded Chicken Tenders ($9.99 for 48 oz) – An excellent value option
• Kroger® Fully Cooked Frozen Crispy Chicken Strips ($7.99 for 25 ounces)
• Kroger® Frozen Boneless Skinless Raw Chicken Tenderloins ($9.49 for 2.5 lb)

Fresh Options

• Heritage Farm® Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins (about $6.60 each, $4.49/lb)
• Simple Truth® Natural Boneless & Skinless Fresh Chicken Breast Tenders (about $6.10 each, $6.49/lb)
• Simple Truth Organic® Boneless Skinless Fresh Organic Chicken Breast Tenders (about $13.99 each, $9.99/lb)

Brand-Name Options

• Perdue® Frozen Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders ($7.99 for 29 oz)
• Tyson Frozen Crispy Chicken Breast Strips ($9.49 for 25 OZ)
• Just Bare Fully Cooked Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips ($10.99 for 1.5 lb)

What I love about Kroger is that they often have deals like “Save $2 each when you buy 3 or more” on selected chicken tender products.

Walmart

Walmart’s got a huge variety of chicken tenders to choose from:

Ready-to-Eat Options:

• Freshness Guaranteed Fresh, Hot & Ready-to-Eat Breaded Buttermilk Chicken Tenders ($4.97 for 4 Count or $9.67 for 8 Count)
• Freshness Guaranteed 4pc Chicken Tenders Entre ($4.97)
• Freshness Guaranteed Hot & Ready-to-Eat Breaded Chicken Tenders ($18.94 for 16 Count)

Fresh Options:

• Freshness Guaranteed Chicken Breast Tenderloins ($10.38 for 2.0-3.0 lb Tray, $4.12/lb)
• Perdue, No Antibiotics Ever, Fresh Chicken Breast Tenderloins ($5.66 for 0.8-1.7 lb Tray, $4.92/lb)
• Perdue Harvestland, Free Range, Fresh Chicken Breast Tenderloin Pieces ($6.53 for 0.8-1.7 lb Tray, $5.78/lb)

Frozen Options:

• Great Value Famous Fingers, Ready to Cook Breaded Chicken Tenders ($12.93 for 3 lbs, $4.31/lb) – This is my personal fave!
• Great Value All Natural Chicken Breast Tenderloins ($10.84 for 3 lb, $3.61/lb)
• Tyson Crispy Chicken Breast Strips ($7.62 for 25 oz, $4.89/lb)

Other Major Chains

Don’t forget to check other major supermarket chains like:

• Target – Usually has a good selection of both store brand and name brand options
• Publix – Known for their deli counter with fresh hot tenders
• Safeway/Albertsons – Carries multiple brands and often has good sales

Specialty Stores and Online Options

Crescent Foods (Online/Specialty)

If you’re looking for halal chicken tenders or higher quality options, Crescent Foods offers:

• Crescent Foods All Natural Tenders ($14.00 for approx. 1.1 lbs with 5-7 pieces)
• Features: Certified Halal, Hand Processed, Antibiotic-Free, Cage-Free, Humanely Raised, Fed 100% Vegetarian Diet and USDA Inspected

Customers rave about these tenders, with 82% of reviews giving them 5 stars. One customer named Rebecca said “These are sooo nummy. I love doing different dinners with these babies. They are great and very delicious”

They also offer bulk options, which can be economical if you’ve got freezer space:

• Crescent Foods Chicken Breast Tenders (Approx. 8.8 lbs with 40-56 Pieces for $122.40, discounted from $144.00)

You can order directly from their website and they deliver to your home.

Warehouse Clubs

Don’t sleep on the warehouse clubs if you’ve got a big family or just really love chicken tenders (no judgment here!):

• Costco – Known for large packages of both raw and cooked tenders at competitive prices
• Sam’s Club – Offers both Member’s Mark (store brand) and name brand options in bulk
• BJ’s Wholesale – Similar to Costco and Sam’s with bulk options

Fast Food and Restaurant Options

When you’re in a hurry and need a quick chicken tender fix:

• Chick-fil-A – Arguably some of the best fast food chicken tenders
• Popeyes – Known for their crispy, flavorful tenders
• KFC – Classic option with their Original Recipe or Extra Crispy tenders
• Raising Cane’s – Specializes in chicken fingers with their famous Cane’s sauce
• Zaxby’s – Southern chain with excellent tenders

Price Comparison Table

Here’s a quick comparison of some popular chicken tender options to help you get the best bang for your buck:

Tips for Buying Chicken Tenders

For Fresh Tenders:

1. Check the date – Always look for the freshest package
2. Look at the color – Fresh chicken tenders should be pink, not gray or yellow
3. Feel the package – It should be cold to the touch with no excessive liquid
4. Consider quantity – Only buy what you’ll use within 2-3 days unless you plan to freeze them

For Frozen Tenders:

1. Check for freezer burn – Avoid packages with visible ice crystals
2. Look at ingredients – Some have cleaner ingredients than others
3. Compare prices by weight – Don’t be fooled by package size
4. Consider pre-cooked vs. raw – Pre-cooked are convenient but often more expensive

For Ready-to-Eat Tenders:

1. Check if they’re fresh – Ask when they were made
2. Look at how they’re stored – They should be kept hot (above 140°F)
3. Consider sauces – Some places include sauce, others charge extra

What to Look for in Quality Chicken Tenders

I’ve tried so many chicken tenders over the years that I’ve become pretty picky about what makes a good one. Here’s what I look for:

Raw Tenders:

• Minimal additives – Check for added salt solutions or preservatives
• Antibiotic-free – Many options now offer this
• Free-range or organic – If you’re willing to pay more for better quality

Breaded/Cooked Tenders:

• Whole muscle – Not chopped and formed
• Breading type – Regular, gluten-free, or specialty coatings
• Cooking method – Some are air-fryer friendly, others need conventional oven or deep-frying

My Personal Recommendations

If you’re asking me (and you are since you’re reading my blog!), here are my top picks:

1. For convenience: Walmart’s Freshness Guaranteed Hot & Ready-to-Eat Breaded Buttermilk Chicken Tenders – grab and go!

2. For best value: Kroger® Breaded Chicken Tenders (48 oz for $9.99) – can’t beat that price for the quantity

3. For quality: Just Bare Fully Cooked Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Strips – they’re pricier but taste amazing and have cleaner ingredients

4. For healthy option: Simple Truth® Natural Boneless & Skinless Fresh Chicken Breast Tenders – season them yourself for a healthier meal

5. For special diets: Crescent Foods Halal Hand-Cut Fresh Chicken Tenderloins – perfect for those requiring halal options

How to Make Store-Bought Tenders Taste Even Better

Let’s be real – sometimes store-bought tenders need a little help. Here’s how I make mine taste restaurant-quality:

1. For frozen breaded tenders: Use an air fryer instead of the microwave – game changer!

2. For fresh raw tenders: Brine them in pickle juice for 30 minutes before cooking (sounds weird but trust me)

3. Make your own dipping sauces – Mix mayo with sriracha, honey and mustard, or BBQ sauce with a splash of bourbon

4. Reheat properly – Use an oven or air fryer to maintain crispiness, never microwave breaded tenders if you can avoid it

So there ya have it! Whether you want the convenience of Walmart’s ready-to-eat options, the variety at Kroger, or the specialty products from Crescent Foods, you’ve got plenty of choices for satisfying your chicken tender cravings.

My final advice? Buy a few different types and have a chicken tender taste test with your family or friends! It’s a fun way to figure out which ones you like best, and honestly, who doesn’t love an excuse to eat more chicken tenders?

Happy tender hunting!

The “best” fast food chicken tenders depend on your preference, but many sources praise Raising Cane’s for its substantial tenders and focus on the product, Popeyes for its flavorful, crispy crunch, and Chick-fil-A for its high-quality, well-seasoned strips.

Yes, there is a difference: chicken tenders are a specific, smaller muscle (pectoralis minor) located under the chicken breast, while chicken strips are a broader term for any long, thin piece of chicken, which could be from the breast, thigh, or even multiple parts. Therefore, all tenders are technically strips, but not all strips are tenders; the term “strip” is more versatile and can be a whole-muscle product or a formed product made from different chicken parts.