The Hands-Down Best Frozen Chicken Tenders Aren't Sold By Tyson

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One of the more ubiquitous foods in the U.S. has to be the standard chicken tender. Whether you call it a tender, a strip, or a finger, it's pretty much the same thing, and it's probably available at 95% of non-fine dining restaurants — at the very least on the kid's menu. For example, Texas Roadhouse makes some bangin' chicken tenders. There's also a whole section devoted to frozen chicken tenders at every grocery store, with brands ranging from Tyson to Banquet to Perdue.

With that in mind, we decided to rank six frozen chicken tender brands from worst to best. No, the winner wasn't Tyson; the top spot went to the Perdue Chicken Tenders. This brand felt higher quality from the start. We know kids love chicken fingers, but there's nothing wrong with adults opting for these fried strips of goodness, and the Perdue brand definitely scratched that itch.

Perdue's chicken tenders are 100% natural, with no hormones or antibiotics and 12 grams of protein per serving (one serving is 3 ounces). We used the air fryer to cook these tenders, and the result was a crispy, perfect golden-brown exterior with a firm-but-not-tough bite. The Perdue tenders are all similarly and generously sized, so they cook at the same speed, which means consistent results across the whole bag. The price slightly varies based on where you live and the store you're shopping at, but we purchased a 1.81-pound bag for $7.99.

We're not the only reviewers who loved Perdue Chicken Tenders. Plenty of Redditors share our sentiment. "This is my favorite brand for tenders and nuggets," one said. "They get really crispy in the air fryer. These work really great if you want a quick chicken parmesan." More than 5,800 Walmart customers have reviewed the Perdue Chicken Tenders as well, and give them a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. One Walmart customer says, "These Perdue chicken strips are the best by far. Just the right amount of breading and they cook up very crispy. The chicken is high quality, no gristle or 'extra parts.' Highly recommend!"

Another standout in our rankings were the chicken tenders from Walmart's Bettergoods brand. These are actually gluten-free, in addition to not having any preservatives or hormones. They're a little pale, but have a moist interior and great flavor. Surprisingly, we thought Tyson's Honey Battered Breast Tenders were the worst of the six brands we tried. These tenders had a mushy, bouncy texture with an odd smell of funnel cake, and are one of the worst products this brand has to offer. Hard pass.

None of these brands are reinventing the wheel with their chicken tenders, because that's just not necessary. The best frozen chicken tenders are simple: a crispy exterior, a juicy interior, and a ton of flavor. If you're looking for that combination of deliciousness, look no further than the Perdue Chicken Tenders. This brand meets all those marks and ranked at the top of our list.