Chicken tenders, also known as chicken strips or chicken fillets, are a popular chicken dish commonly found on the menus of fast food restaurants and diners. But there has been some debate around whether chicken tenders actually qualify as “fried chicken” or if they should be considered their own category of chicken dish. In this article, we’ll explore what exactly chicken tenders are, how they are prepared, and look at arguments on both sides to ultimately answer the question: are chicken tenders fried chicken?
What are chicken tenders?
Chicken tenders or chicken strips are cutlets of chicken breast meat that have been breaded or battered and then deep fried. The tenderloin (pectoralis minor) and a part of the breast meat (pectoralis major) are commonly used for making chicken tenders.
Here are some key features of chicken tenders:
– Made from cutlets of chicken breast meat
– Typically battered or breaded
– Deep fried, resulting in a crispy exterior coating
– Served as finger food, often with dipping sauces
– Popular menu item at casual dining and fast food restaurants
Chicken tenders are an easy, convenient option for restaurants because the uniform size and shape of the strips makes them easy to bread, fry, and serve. Diners also love chicken tenders because they are moist, tender, and tasty, with that satisfying crunch from frying.
How are chicken tenders prepared?
The preparation process for chicken tenders is quite straightforward:
1. The tenderloin and breast meat is removed from chicken in long, thin strips or cutlets.
2. The chicken strips are seasoned, usually just with salt and pepper.
3. The cutlets are then coated in batter or breadcrumbs to form the signature crispy exterior when fried. Common batters include milk & eggs or buttermilk. For breading, flour or panko breadcrumbs are typical choices.
4. The breaded or battered chicken strips are dropped into hot oil – usually vegetable or canola oil – and fried until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
5. The cooked chicken tenders are removed from oil and allowed to drain on paper towels or a rack.
6. Finally, the chicken strips are served hot, often with dipping sauces like barbecue, ranch, honey mustard or buffalo sauce.
So in summary, the two key steps that differentiate chicken tenders are cutting chicken breasts into long strips and then deep frying them with a crispy batter or breaded coating.
Are chicken tenders considered fried chicken?
This is where things get debatable. Some people adamantly insist that chicken tenders are indeed a form of fried chicken, since they involve deep frying chicken in oil. Others argue that chicken tenders don’t fully qualify as “fried chicken” for a variety of reasons.
Arguments for chicken tenders being fried chicken
Here are some common arguments in favor of chicken tenders being categorized as fried chicken:
– The main components are all there – chicken as the protein, flour or breading providing the crusty exterior, and frying it all in hot oil. This follows the basic definition of fried chicken.
– Chicken tenders are processed similarly to other fried chicken pieces. The method of battering or breading and then deep frying is the same.
– Restaurants typically list chicken tenders under fried food or fried chicken sections of menus. So the industry treats them like fried chicken.
– They have a very similar flavor profile and texture to bone-in fried chicken, with a moist interior and crispy seasoned coating from frying.
– People eat and enjoy chicken tenders in all the same scenarios as fried chicken – as an appetizer, entree, snack, comfort food, etc.
So if it walks like fried chicken and talks like fried chicken…then chicken tenders are indeed fried chicken.
Arguments against chicken tenders as fried chicken
On the other side of the debate, there are also angles to support the case for chicken tenders being in their own category, separate from fried chicken:
– Boneless tenders lack the characteristic bones of fried chicken pieces like wings, legs and breasts. The bones contribute flavor during cooking.
– Since they are breast meat only, tenders lack the mix of dark and white meat typical of fried chicken meals.
– The size, shape and texture of uniformly cut tenders strips differ from the varied shapes and sizes of bone-in chicken parts.
– Chicken tenders are served in a different context than a “fried chicken dinner,” often as an appetizer with dipping sauce.
– Tenders are perceived as a kids’ menu item or bar snack, whereas fried chicken is more of a core entree.
– The breading on tenders is thinner and lighter than the thick batter coating associated with fried chicken.
So by this thinking, the lack of bones, the uniformity of the meat, and the different cooking method, context, and connotation separate chicken tenders enough from traditional fried chicken to put them in their own category.
Common questions about chicken tenders
There are a few other common questions that come up in the chicken tender versus fried chicken debate:
Are chicken fingers the same as chicken tenders?
Chicken fingers and chicken tenders refer to the exact same dish – strips of breaded deep fried chicken breast. The names are used interchangeably. “Fingers” refers to the long narrow shape of the strips that resemble fingers.
How do chicken nuggets differ from chicken tenders?
Chicken nuggets are made from small chunks or pieces of breast meat, so they have an irregular shape compared to the longer strips of tenders. Also, nuggets often have a thinner breading than the crispy coating on tenders.
What makes chicken tenders different than chicken cutlets?
Chicken cutlets are flattened, thin pieces of chicken breast meat. To make tenders, the cutlets are cut into long, narrow strips before breading and frying. Cutlets are often pan-fried or baked instead of deep fried.
Are chicken tenders healthier than bone-in fried chicken?
Chicken tenders are lower in fat and calories compared to fried chicken containing skin and dark meat. But they are still a breaded, fried food so not exactly a healthy choice. Grilled chicken tenders would be much healthier.
The verdict
Now that we’ve weighed the evidence, let’s answer our original question:
Are chicken tenders fried chicken?
While reasonable arguments can be made on both sides of this debate, most evidence seems to point towards chicken tenders qualifying as a type of fried chicken. At the end of the day, tenders align with the basic definition of fried chicken – chicken meat that is battered or breaded then fried. The preparation method, ingredients, taste, and textures are all similar enough to bone-in fried chicken pieces to put tenders safely in the fried chicken category, albeit as a distinct subset.
Chicken tenders meet the criteria for fried chicken while offering their own advantages of being boneless, uniform in size, and tender in texture. These attributes make chicken tenders a versatile form of fried chicken that work well as appetizers, kids’ meals or bar food. So the next time you are enjoying a plate of chicken tenders, you can definitively call it what it is – delicious fried chicken!
Nutritional Information on Chicken Tenders versus Fried Chicken
Chicken Tenders (3 oz)
| Calories | 230 |
| Fat | 12g |
| Carbs | 8g |
| Protein | 24g |
Fried Chicken Thigh (3 oz)
| Calories | 290 |
| Fat | 19g |
| Carbs | 0g |
| Protein | 16g |
Fried Chicken Drumstick (3 oz)
| Calories | 220 |
| Fat | 15g |
| Carbs | 2g |
| Protein | 14g |
The nutrition comparison shows that chicken tenders are lower in calories and fat compared to bone-in fried chicken pieces. Tendlers have 8-11 grams less fat per serving. They also have more protein than drumsticks or thighs. But all three are still high fat foods, with over 50% of calories from fat.
Trends in Popularity of Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders have been growing steadily in popularity over the past decade. Here are some key trends:
Increase in Fried Chicken Tender Eating Occasions
| Year | Total Fried Chicken Tender Eating Occasions* (in billions) |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 7.2 |
| 2014 | 9.4 |
| 2019 | 12.1 |
*Eating occasions = number of times consumers ate chicken tenders
– 30% increase in chicken tender eating occasions over 5 years from 2009 to 2014
– Further 29% increase from 2014 to 2019
Growth of Chicken Tenders on Menus
| Year | % of Restaurants Serving Chicken Tenders |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 65% |
| 2019 | 80% |
– In 2009, 65% of restaurants served chicken tenders
– By 2019 chicken tenders were on the menus of 80% of restaurants
The data shows the popularity of chicken tenders has steadily grown over the past 10 years, both in terms of consumer demand and menu availability. More restaurants are serving tenders as an option and people are choosing to eat them more often.
Regional Fried Chicken Tender Preferences
Fried chicken tender popularity does vary by region across the United States:
Top States for Chicken Tender Eating Occasions Per Capita
| State | Tender Eating Occasions Per Capita |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 19 |
| Mississippi | 17 |
| Alabama | 17 |
Bottom States for Chicken Tender Eating Occasions Per Capita
| State | Tender Eating Occasions Per Capita |
|---|---|
| California | 8 |
| Arizona | 8 |
| Nevada | 7 |
The southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama eat chicken tenders the most, at 17-19 occasions annually per person. Western states like California, Arizona and Nevada eat them the least, with only 7-8 occasions per capita. The preference may be linked to the stronger popularity of overall fried chicken dishes in southern cuisine.
Conclusion
To wrap it all up, the evidence seems to support classifying chicken tenders under the fried chicken umbrella. While chicken tenders have some distinct attributes from bone-in fried chicken, the core aspects of battering and frying chicken meat align tenders and traditional fried chicken closely enough. The popularity data also backs up that consumers view tenders as a type of fried chicken option. So the next time you want to satisfy a fried chicken craving, chicken tenders should absolutely fill the bill!