Why Texas Roadhouse Chicken Tenders Are So Good

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Being a millennial means sometimes eating a fancy dinner, and sometimes just opting for stuff from the kids' menus. You know the routine: grilled cheese, hamburgers, and, yes, chicken fingers. If you're visiting the famed fast casual spot Texas Roadhouse, those chicken tenders are referred to as Chicken Critters, thank you very much. Texas Roadhouse's menu describes the Chicken Critters — which can double as DIY sliders — as "All white meat chicken tenders, golden-fried and lightly crispy." But the menu description does not do these beauties justice — at least the pre-2018 beauties, that is. 

Folks have waxed poetic on Reddit about the old version of these tenders, saying that the taste was unmatched, and different than any other fast food or fast casual chicken tender. There's even a Change.org petition circulating, begging Texas Roadhouse to reinstate the previous recipe. I know what you're thinking: "Chicken tenders? Really? The most basic of all foods?" Honestly, yes. These were crispy, with a perfectly breaded and fried exterior. The inside was tender, never bland: juicy, with a hint of spice, salt, and a little something extra. 

According to a previous Texas Roadhouse team member, there's a reason these crispy strips are so addictive. The self-proclaimed former employee of seven years posted on Reddit to spill the closely guarded secret behind the flavor and greatness of the beloved Texas Roadhouse appetizer. According to them, the recipe relies on a citrus-based marinade that includes hot sauce and pickle juice and a pretty specific order of operations, but it's really these flavor bombs that help take these tenders from ordinary to extraordinary.

The exact recipe for the perfect Chicken Critters may remain a bit elusive, but it seems the generally loved flavor is thanks to buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce, and a handful of spices. According to the aforementioned Reddit thread, the tenders are cut and poked all over with a fork to ensure the marinade — a mixture of citrus, pickle juice, oil, and water — can seep in. Although it's not clear the exact makeup of the marinade that gives the tenders their telltale zing, it could be dried lemon or even citric acid, like Fire & Flavor's lemon pepper brine mix on Amazon. After the marinade, the tenders spend some time in a mixture of buttermilk, Louisiana hot sauce, and a blend of spices before getting dredged in seasoned flour and dunked in the fryer.

Whether or not this is the exact recipe, only the Roadhouse can say. Other attempts at copycat recipes mention using the juice from jars of pickled jalapeños, soda water, tempura batter, and even onion ring breading. Since we simply aren't sure what, exactly, made those pre-2018 Critters so incredible, you can try the many variations in your own kitchen, geared to your own tastes until you stumble upon one you like. Try marinating your chicken in hot and sweet pickle brine for a puckering zing. You could go with classic dill pickle juice or lean into your love of gherkins. Heck, you could even try something wild like pickled onion brine, or lemonade for a little sweet and sour — who are we to judge?