How do Chick-fil-A's chicken tenders compare to KFC?

Is it a chicken fillet, a finger fillet or a chicken strip?

Whatever you call your breaded and fried boneless chicken tenders, there are entire restaurants dedicated to them. Once relegated to the children's menu, chicken tenders are one of the most successful restaurant chains in the world.

This year, sales of fast food chicken restaurants are expected to reach $61.1 billion.

Its naturally mild nature only adds to its broad appeal, making Tender the perfect vessel for an infinite number of spices and conditions.

Although it may seem like they've been around forever, there's a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire that claims to have invented the fried chicken tender in 1974.

Burger King introduced its first chicken tenders in the '80s, and other fast food chains followed suit. In 1996, Todd Graves opened the first Raising Cane's at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, introducing guests to an entire restaurant celebrating the call.

When it comes to boneless chicken pieces, I've always preferred tenders over nuggets. Because of their shape and size, I tend to trust that they are whole pieces of meat and not pressed and formed pieces of chicken. Since there are so many restaurants that serve them, deputy food editor Betty Hallock and I decided to do our own taste test. We ordered the chicken tenders from 11 chains including Raising Cane's, Chick-fil-A and Kentucky Fried Chicken. We sampled them side by side to assess the temperature and textures as accurately as possible. Prices vary by location if you order delivery or eat in store.

Let the tender wars begin.

11. Burger King Chicken Fries

What we paid: $3.39 for four fingers

These were so disappointing that we considered removing them from the rankings entirely. They were tiny, quiet chicken tubes that resembled fingers much more than any other chicken fingers. And they tasted like long, rubbery nuggets. An order of four felt like a light snack that you could eat while putting together a real snack. The spicy dipping sauce had plenty of horseradish, but wasn't compelling enough to save the fries from eternal chicken tender damnation.

10. Crispy chicken strips from Jack in the Box

What we paid: $11.11 for five chicken strips

These looked really appetizing, with a lovely golden color and a striking shaggy crust. But as soon as we ate our first bites, the illusion of size fell apart. They felt greasy. And the bitter taste of old fat was the predominant taste. The coating was crispy but had an oddly loose texture and the breading was way too thick. Once you got past the fortress of breading, the chicken actually tasted like real chicken.

9. Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips

What we paid: $12.09 for four strips

I'm still amazed at Chick-fil-A's popularity, and even more so after trying their strips. Last year, the brand had sales of almost $22 billion. Every time I pass a place, the line extends beyond the driveway and onto the street. It's the only thing my friend's kids eat with enthusiasm. Maybe it's because the tenders taste like they were dipped in sugar. So much so that Hallock commented mid-bite, “Why am I eating a cookie?” The ingredients list both sugar and sugar syrup. The chicken was juicy and had no oily aftertaste, but we couldn't get over the sweetness of the tenders. The Chick-Fil-A sauce, thick and sticky and even sweeter, only made things worse.

8. Chicken Guy! fried tenders

What we paid: $12.42 for five tenders

Chicken man! is the new chicken tenders and fries restaurant from Guy Fieri, the spiky-haired host behind most of the Food Network's shows. Fieri's tenders are wide and flat and resemble pounded and breaded chicken cutlets. There was a nice amount of seasoning and what tasted like a panko crust coating that remained impressively crispy but also felt overly sweet and the chicken was tough.

7. Jollibee chicken tenders

What we paid: $21.24 for six offerings

I ate great fried chicken at Jollibee, the Filipino fast food chain known for its chicken, gravy, and spaghetti. I had high hopes for the brand's tenders, which varied in shape and size and looked more like strange strips and blobs that were breaded and fried. The coating wasn't too heavy, but any spice or real flavor was masked by the overpowering taste of the frying oil. It bordered on rancid, but the chicken inside was tender and juicy.

6. Chicken fillets from Kentucky Fried Chicken

What we paid: $12.92 for four offerings

The tenders had the same shaggy coating and seasoning as the chain's bone-in fried chicken, meaning they were relatively crispy and very salty. The chicken was chewy and you could pull out strips like string cheese. Both the KFC sauce and Comeback sauce were too sweet. Gravy is the better option for dipping, although it is a bit watery.

5. Church Texas Chicken Tenders

What we paid: $6.99 for five tenders

These were the least memorable of all, but not terrible. They had a light, crispy coating and barely any seasoning. A dipping sauce is required, but you can also get it from another restaurant. The sauce tasted like salty brown water and the typical hot sauce is sweeter than spicy.

4. Carl's Jr. Hand Breaded Tenders

What we paid: $12.49 for five tenders

These offerings looked like something you might find on a restaurant's children's menu. They were completely golden and had a rugged coating. The meat tasted like juicy strips of chicken breast. The only problem is that you have to eat them immediately. They didn't retain their crunch as well as some others. Carls Jr. also gets extra points for his barbecue sauce.

3. Lift Canes Chicken Fingers

What we paid: $8.36 for four fingers

The chicken tastes and feels like real chicken. And although the coating doesn't hold onto the meat as much as I'd like, it's crispy and stays crispy. The fingers are a little boring, but that's what Cane's sauce is for. It's like a creamy, extra peppery Thousand Island with a nice touch of acidity that makes your lunch of chicken fingers and fries feel a little less heavy.

2. Popeyes chicken tenders

What we paid: $10 for five offerings

The Popeyes tenders are designed for those who prioritize the crunch factor when evaluating fried chicken. The coating creates sharp, jagged armor around each part. It's well seasoned and gives the chicken an almost buttery flavor. Some pieces are plump and moist, others appear to be huge shards of crispy shell. They are considered more of a crunchy snack than a meal. No dipping sauce is required, but the Bayou Buffalo is quite flavorful.

1. Crispy Wingstop Tenders

What we paid: $8.99 for four offerings

I switched back and forth between Wingstop and Popeyes trying to get the top spot. I prefer the crunch from Popeyes, but the tenders at Wingstop taste most like real, meaty, juicy chicken strips. They are rich enough for a complete meal. The coating can be a little uneven, some parts are thin and crispy, others are lumpy, but overall the tenders offer a nice crispiness. And if you're a fan of ranch dressing, there's no comparison. The Wingstop Ranch has the ideal consistency, thick enough to coat your tender but not enough to be considered sticky. It tastes like the Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet with onions, garlic and herbs. We both agreed that we would order these offerings again. And we ended up diving all the other tenders at the Wingstop Ranch.