Where Can I Get Chicken Tenders? The Ultimate Guide to Finding Crispy, Juicy Goodness

Let’s be honest – sometimes nothing hits the spot quite like some delicious chicken tenders That perfect combination of crispy exterior and juicy, tender chicken inside is practically irresistible! But when the craving strikes, you might find yourself wondering “where can I get chicken tenders near me?” Well, I’ve done the research so you don’t have to, and I’m gonna share all the best places to satisfy your tender cravings

Fast Food Restaurants: Quick and Convenient Options

When you need a quick chicken tender fix, these fast food joints have got you covered:

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is renowned for their chicken dishes, including their Chicken Strips. These tenders are made from marinated chicken tenderloins and fried in a peanut oil blend that gives them maximum crispness. Their variety of dipping sauces makes the experience even better!

McDonald’s

While McDonald’s is better known for their nuggets, they recently announced the return of chicken strips to their menu. Starting May 5, 2025, you can get McCrispy Strips nationwide – these are all-white chicken tenders with a golden-brown breading.

Burger King

Burger King offers chicken tenders on their permanent menu You can order them as part of a meal with fries and a drink or get them a la carte. Their tenders have a crispy coating and remain juicy on the inside

Wendy’s

Wendy’s Homestyle Chicken Tenders are marinated in buttermilk before being breaded and fried. This process gives them a unique flaky texture on the outside while keeping the inside moist. Available as a meal or a standalone snack.

Fast Casual Restaurants: A Step Up in Quality

For slightly higher quality tenders without the full restaurant experience, check out these fast casual options:

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

Raising Cane’s has built their entire business around chicken fingers, and they do it well! Their tenders are made from premium chicken tenderloins, battered and fried to order. According to many reviews, they’re considered to have some of the best chicken tenders around. Their chicken is marinated for 24 hours before being hand-battered and cooked to order. Don’t forget to try their signature Cane’s sauce!

Zaxby’s

Zaxby’s hand-breads their chicken tenders fresh each morning for superior crunch. They cook their tenders in a secret marinade that keeps them extra moist. Their meal options come with their famous Zax sauce for dipping.

Slim Chickens

True to their name, Slim Chickens uses only 100% premium chicken breast for their tenders. They’re hand-breaded and always cooked fresh to order. They offer fun dipping sauces including sriracha garlic and honey mustard.

Guthrie’s

Guthrie’s breaded chicken tenderloins are lightly fried and seasoned to enhance the natural chicken flavor. Their tenders come served on Texas toast with dipping options like honey mustard or BBQ sauce.

Full-Service Restaurants: Sit Down and Enjoy

When you want to sit down and enjoy your chicken tenders in a full-service environment, these restaurants have great options:

The Cheesecake Factory

Known for their large portions, The Cheesecake Factory doesn’t disappoint with their Crispy Chicken Tenders. Their tenders are coated in a crunchy breading, well-seasoned, and served with your choice of dipping sauce from honey mustard to ranch.

Buffalo Wild Wings

At Buffalo Wild Wings, you can get chicken tenders either breaded or grilled, then have them tossed in any of their famous wing sauces. Options range from mild to extremely spicy for those who like a challenge!

Applebee’s

Applebee’s Classic Chicken Tender Platter features hand-battered tenders fried to a golden brown. They’re served with honey mustard and fries, and larger portions are available if you’re really hungry.

TGIFridays

TGIFridays offers Chicken Tender Baskets with four crispy chicken tenders and fries. You can choose to dip them in honey mustard or BBQ sauce for added flavor.

Local Options: Check Yelp for Nearby Chicken Tenders

Looking at recent Yelp listings, some of the highest-rated chicken tender spots include:

• Hangry Joe’s – Offers both traditional and Korean-style chicken tenders
• Krispy Krunchy Chicken – Known for their Cajun-style tenders
• Wooboi Hot Chicken – Specializes in Nashville hot chicken tenders
• Choong Man Chicken – Korean-style tenders with unique flavors
• Roaming Rooster – Food truck turned restaurant with amazing chicken

For the most reviewed chicken tender spots, check out:

• Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers – Despite the name, their tenders get great reviews
• Ford’s Fish Shack – They do chicken tenders as well as seafood
• Wooboi Hot Chicken – Consistently highly rated

Grocery Stores: Make Them at Home

When you want to enjoy chicken tenders from the comfort of home, grocery stores have plenty of options:

Frozen Options

• Tyson – One of the most common brands for frozen chicken tenders. They offer convenient ready-to-cook options like Crispy Chicken Strips that go straight from freezer to oven.
• Perdue – Look for Perdue’s chicken tenders or their Fun Shapes Chicken Breast Nuggets for bite-sized pieces similar to tenders.
• Foster Farms – Makes all-natural frozen chicken tenders without antibiotics or steroids. They have a light breading and come seasoned or plain.
• Applegate Naturals – Often rated as one of the healthiest options for store-bought chicken tenders.

Homemade Tenders

For the freshest taste, you can bread and fry your own chicken tenders at home:

1. Slice chicken breasts into strips
2. Coat in eggs and breadcrumbs (or your preferred coating)
3. Fry in oil until golden brown and cooked through

Delivery Options: Chicken Tenders to Your Door

Don’t want to leave home? No problem! Chicken tenders are widely available through delivery services:

Food Delivery Apps

• Grubhub – With around 500,000 restaurants on their platform, you can easily find chicken tenders for delivery or pickup. If you have Amazon Prime or a Bank of America account, Grubhub+ is free, which means $0 delivery fees.
• DoorDash – Offers delivery from numerous chicken tender specialists and general restaurants.
• Uber Eats – Another great option for getting tenders delivered straight to your door.

Restaurant-Specific Delivery

Many restaurants now offer their own delivery services through their websites or apps. Places like Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s often have this option available.

Tips for the Best Chicken Tender Experience

No matter where you get your chicken tenders, follow these tips for the optimal tender eating experience:

• Eat them hot and fresh – Tenders are best right after cooking when the exterior is at its crispiest.
• Try different dipping sauces – Ranch, honey mustard, and BBQ sauce all pair deliciously with chicken tenders, but don’t be afraid to experiment!
• Share with friends – Chicken tenders make a great group snack for watching sports or a movie marathon.
• Add complementary sides – Fries, coleslaw, or mac and cheese all complement chicken tenders perfectly.
• Watch out for fillers – Aim for chicken tenderloins or breast meat, not processed chicken bits.

What Makes a Great Chicken Tender?

When hunting for the perfect chicken tender, here’s what to look for:

• Quality chicken – Real chicken breast or tenderloin, not processed meat
• Crispy coating – The outside should be crisp and well-seasoned
• Juicy interior – The chicken inside should be moist and tender
• Freshly cooked – The best tenders are cooked to order
• Good sauce options – Great dipping sauces can elevate the experience

Healthier Chicken Tender Options

If you’re trying to eat healthier but still want to enjoy chicken tenders, consider these options:

• Grilled instead of fried – Some restaurants offer grilled tenders as an alternative
• Air fryer tenders – Make them at home in an air fryer for less oil
• Baked options – Many frozen brands offer oven-baked instructions
• Gluten-free breading – For those with gluten sensitivities, look for gluten-free options like Applegate Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Tenders

Beyond Traditional Chicken Tenders

For those looking to try something different, there are some innovative options out there:

• Plant-based tenders – Beyond Meat offers vegan chicken tenders available in over 400 restaurants across the US
• Korean-style tenders – Try places like Choong Man Chicken or Bonchon for Korean-style fried chicken tenders
• Nashville hot tenders – Wooboi Hot Chicken specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken tenders
• Buttermilk brined tenders – Some specialty chicken shops brine their tenders in buttermilk for extra tenderness

My Personal Favorites

As someone who considers themselves a bit of a chicken tender connoisseur, I gotta say that Raising Cane’s really does live up to the hype. Their tenders are always fresh, juicy and that Cane’s sauce is literally addictive! But for a quick fix, I think Chick-fil-A’s consistent quality is hard to beat.

For at-home options, I’ve tried most of the frozen brands, and honestly, Applegate Naturals makes the best frozen tenders I’ve had. They’re a bit pricier, but the quality difference is noticeable.

So next time you find yourself wondering “where can I get chicken tenders?” remember that delicious options are available almost everywhere – from fast food joints to sit-down restaurants, delivery apps, and even your own kitchen. Whether you prefer them plain, spicy, with sauce, or as part of a meal, the perfect chicken tender is out there waiting for you!

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.