Chicken tenders are on every menu in town, but whose are the best?
Not shaped like arrow heads - a good sign! Photo courtesy Robert Bahn/Flickr.
When did the ubiquitous chicken tender officially arrive on the scene?
I know my mother did not rely on a lot of prepared foods when I was a kid, but I’m pretty sure if chicken tenders were around and were as popular then as they are now, I’d remember having them. Instead, the ultimate kid foods were hot dogs, grilled cheese or peanut butter sandwiches, Chicken nuggets were on the scene, but those were still the “parts is parts” days.
These days, chicken tenders are on EVERY SINGLE MENU. EVERYWHERE. They’re even on the menu in ethnic restaurants. If they aren’t on the adult side of the menu in some form or another (buffalo chicken wrap, anyone?) they are for darn sure on the kids’ menu. And why not? Kids love ‘em because even though they aren’t particularly healthy, chicken tenders are particularly tasty.
However, there’s a lot to be said for a high-quality chicken tender versus a “parts is parts” chicken tender. We’ve all had the latter version before, and while not all of us are turned off by “rib meat” fused into a remotely natural-looking shape, others (ahem, moi) are kind of picky about mystery meat products. (You folks who have switched from good tenders to mincemeat tenders, I have your number).
If you have never tasted a made-from-scratch chicken tender, you’re really missing out. They can be prepared at home, of course, using the tender cut or boneless breasts cut in strips. As a side note, I really think the rubber band-like tendon or ligament or whatever it is that sticks out of one end of a tender ought to be removed before cooking. Ewwww.
But have you ever been to a restaurant that makes homemade chicken tenders? They do exist!
We’ve talked burgers, French fries, BBQ and other favorites. Now, I hereby commence the search for the best chicken tender in Southwest Virginia. I’ll tell you my two favorite places to find chicken tenders so long as you understand that I haven’t eaten chicken tenders at every restaurant and I may be forgetting a place that’s worthy of mention:
1. Shakers. These are juicy, tender, hand-breaded and served with wonderful honey-mustard sauce. As far as I know, Shakers has always served hand-breaded chicken tenders and they have always been superb, as chicken tenders go.
2. Thelma’s Chicken ‘n’ Waffles. Is it sacrilege for me to go to Thelma’s and order boneless chicken tenders instead of a bone-in piece of fried chicken? Perhaps. But these are clearly homemade, breaded with the same flavorful mixture used on all of their fried chicken, and also served with a nice honey-mustard sauce (perhaps Ken’s, which is my favorite store brand of honey-mustard sauce/dressing).
So there, I’ve offered my first couple of votes. Tell me, who do you think has the best chicken tenders in Southwest Virginia? Maybe you’d better consult the kids on this one, since so many of them are chicken tender connoisseurs!
November 1, 2011 - 6:10 AM
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We don’t eat them unless we make them, and we can make some mean ones using Perdue chicken, and dredging through Silk almond milk and then gluten-free Bisquick (with seasonings), and then frying in a shallow pan. We always put them on paper towels on a drying rack to help drain off some of the oil…and we’ll either eat like that, or toss in Texas Pete buffalo wing sauce, good stuff.
But, before we had to go gluten free, the Calabash chicken at Fatz in Dublin was really dang good. THe other place would be Raising Cain’s in Charlottesville, simply superb chicken fingers and that’s essentially their entire menu. They do one thing and do it incredibly well.
In a rush, Hardee’s aren’t bad….
I’m so creeped out by the rubber-band,ligament thingy that I not only a) would never order chicken tenders out anywhere, but b) throw that part away when I buy boneless, skinless, hormone free chicken breasts to cook at home. Even when I’ve tried removing it, the tender part around it just shreds and it looks way too much like a scene from the movie “Alive” that I lose my appetite. ICK!
This may sound silly to some but K&W has some really good Chicken Tenders
Carol @ 2 is right…Hardee’s are pretty dang good in a hurry. The honey mustard is good too.
I don’t usually order chicken fingers but I have heard that Cheddar’s are good.
A chicken tender is taken to another level when it’s combine with a bite of waffle. Tough to beat Thelma’s. I agree with Lindsey on Shakers having great chicken tenders as well. I’d also recommend the chicken tenders at Allsports Cafe, especially when they’re coated in sauce.
Cheddar’s are the best!
I don’t order them out either, but some say mine are riteous. I use boneless skinless breasts and cut my own strips. Marinate in buttermilk for a couple hours, dredge thru flour and seasond crumbes and bake in a 400 degree oven on a wire rack on a cookie sheet. I’ve served these at grandkids b’day parties and there is never any left.
Interestingly enough, Fatz Cafe (a North Carolina-based chain restaurant) has a restaurant in Pulaski County where they serve calabash chicken tenders. Delicious.
I love the ones from Thelma’s! They are awesome! I also really like the one’s at Hardee’s (although, that’s about all I will eat from there).
Mac & Bobs has some good ones. I like Thelma’s too.
I agree – love Shakers’ chicken tenders and honey mustard!
K&W has my vote! Very tasty chicken tenders!
#1 OJ, that is identical to how we make them! Before the GF Bisquick, I was using garbanzo bean flour or Bob’s RM.
I have been told Jersey Lilies has decent chicken tenders. Been ages since I had them, though.
We make our own at home by using Big Spring Mill seasoned flour mix.Dip the tenders in butter milk and add a little of cayenne pepper to the flour mix. They turned out perfect every time!
Dinning out, I would have to say Cheddar’s is the best or Thelma’s (when they do have chicken…sometimes out of chicken or waffles). Shakers is good but a lot of the times is too salty. So my top two goes to Cheddar’s and Thelmas!!
Cheddars are good! I like to order the salad with chicken tenders on top, they give you so much it’s like two meals: one salad and one chicken tenders.
My nephews are crazy over them, that’s all they eat anywhere.
Thelma’s chicken is delicious, whether it’s boneless, bone-in, tenders or whatever. My 8 year old grandson says they’re the best chicken tenders he’s ever had, even better than his grandmother’s (me)!
I love Hollywood’s coconut-breaded chicken tenders. They’re a nice change from your basic tenders, but still a nice comfort food.
And I’d agree that Cheddar’s has great chicken tenders. Even better, in my opinion, is the buffalo chicken wrap. Not only is it delicious, but enough to easily feed 2 people. You get 4 wraps in a regular portion, with 1 giant tender per wrap.
Also, the rubber band pieces immediately make me lose my appetite. Luckily, that’s never been a problem at either of these places.
I know they aren’t “local”, but the tenders at Texas Roadhouse are really tender and yummy!
Schooners has AWESOME chicken baskets.
Best Chicken tenders I have ever had come from Harbor Inn Seafood! My husband loves seafood while I don’t. I always get the chicken tenders and use the ranch dressing (school-house ranch). Awesome!!!!
Country Cooking’s tenders are good. Don’t know if they’re made from scratch though. Their honey mustard sauce is and it’s the Bomb!
K&W chicken tenders with their honey mustard is my favorite.
Hands down it is Cheddar’s. They are always great.
Hmmm… this is very interesting. I’ve never had chicken tenders at K&W. Can anybody describe what’s so good about them?
I have heard a lot of positive things about Cheddar’s chicken tenders. I didn’t order them when I went but saw them delivered to a guy seated next to us and it was a mound roughly the size of Mill Mountain.
@Isaac, I believe Fatz is based in SC. I would not have caught that, but my sister lives in SC
I also love the coconut tenders at Hollywoods. They do a nice job over there.
My sis can’t comment on my blog because her work computer is funky, but she says she likes Zaxby’s chicken tenders the best. And since I don’t think anybody has mentioned Zaxby’s, I thought I’d throw that out there on Kim’s behalf.
I had never tried Thelma’s chicken tenders, until today. I stopped in on my way home from work. They are good. Juicy with great flavor. I had Zaxby’s chicken tenders once. They were good and crispy, but overly salty to me, and I love salt.
Real men don’t eat chicken tenders. Fried chicken has bones in it. Chicken tenders are for kids meals.
Best ones I tasted practically anywhere are made at River City Grill on Third St in Radford! Couldn’t believe they were so good!! And I AM a guy!!
Just this past weekend, following a ride to Floyd.Stopped at Pine Tavernfor dinner. Son recommended chicken tenders. Best I ever had, and I have had a lot. Homemade biscuits and honeybutter,slaw and brocolli casserole. Super meal and atmosphere
Being an old farm boy…The best place to find a really good chicken tender is on a really good chicken.
Mac & Bob’s wins hand’s down. I don’t know how big the chickens are, but the tenders could make a meal with a salad and they are always tender.
Thelma’s chicken and waffels the very best place in Roanoke, From California and have to eat there everytime i come into town.
Other than what my hub makes, the best I have eaten are at Wildwood BBQ at Oak Grove. They were so good I wanted to eat all of my granddaughter’s tenders.
Have tried them many places in the US and I have found none better than right at my own table in RM, VA
Cheddars….Hands Down!!!!
I keep thinking about what makes a good chicken tender, at least in my opinion. The meat must absolutely NOT be dry, that’s for sure. And whether it’s good chicken or not that sometimes happens, I’ve noticed. Juicy is a must. The coating needs to be crisp, never soggy, but I think tastes vary on how thick and crunchy the breading ought to be. I fall closer to the thick side myself, but I can see how a good seasoned flour could yield scrumptious results, as well.
I’m a honey mustard addict, so long as it’s good. I love it as dressing on salads and as dip. Ranch is also good; never been a big fan of BBQ sauce with tenders unless that’s all I’ve got.
For me, the chicken tenders at The Happy Belly Deli at Roanoke Natural Foods are unbeatable. They’re called Lulu’s Chicken Tenders and they are gluten free. I don’t eat wheat so these tenders are a major treat.
TEXAS ROADHOUSE
I gotta go with Cheddar’s.
K&W tenders are truly delicious, second only to the roast beef there. Jersey Lily’s on Orange Avenue have sensational tenders too, served with biscuits and honey mustard.
Cheddars, Bojangles & Harbor Inn Seafood are the best but have never had Thelmas!
OMG Lindsey did you draw up that bracket this morning? We spent probably 15 minutes on the couch debating it.
Our only glitches were jello salad/apples (neither), and deviled eggs/cheese ball (both).
On that tendon thing…my dad gave me a hint years ago on that. Pull it out a little and hold it down on the cutting board tight with the back side of a heavy knife, then just pull the chicken breast. The tendon slides right out.
@Kristen, I did come up with the dishes for the bracket and paired them off. Our very talented graphic artist Grant Jedlinsky designed the page. I’m glad to hear that you had fun with it this morning! I’ve posted a link to it on this blog. I hope everyone will fill it out and either mail it to me or email me their top 4/final “fork.” haha.
Because of this thread and my staring at the picture on top, I insisted on Cheddars for lunch today. The tenders were fabulous…juicy, not too bready, not salty, and way too much to eat in one meal. A great deal. Thanks to all who recommended it.
Jersey Lily’s has pretty good tenders and they are hand breaded not frozen.
Really good on their salad with their honey mustard!
Thought I do not know if they are hand breaded or not my vote has to go with Pancake House on Apperson. The breading is thick, and they are always juicy. They are a good size as well. Not the little bitty kiddie one’s you get a Hardee’s
I know they do make their own ranch dressing and it’s the best I have ever tasted. It’s nice and thick and sticks well to the tenders.
I read a lot of comments about Thelma’s. sigh. Still have not given them another try. One day…….maybe one day.
You cannot beat CHEDDARS for their chicken tenders with their honey mustard. You cannot beat the price for the amount you get. K & W chicken tenders are very small and not good at all for the price you pay for them.
I got your “real men!” IMHO, Mac & Bob’s are the best, they are hand cut and hand breaded and just outstanding! Cheddar’s are also hand made and awesome, as are Thelma’s. We just lost a great place for chicken tenders when Texas Steakhouse closed. They were awesome there! I also agree w/ some others that Zaxby’s, Hardees, and Country Cooking’s tenders are all good.
This is easy folks. I don’t even eat the things. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. So few meals, so many choices.
The best chicken tender will be the same place that has the best fried chicken. Lot’s of good examples listed here. Don’t forget the fried chicken (tenders) at the convenience store on the corner of 5th and Elm SW. Just terrific. Order the tenders. Leave the wings for me.