And the top fast food protein of the year is…chicken. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know the poultry ruled the fast-food world in 2025. From the chicken wrap “wars” spawned by the return of the McDonald’s Snack Wrap to the explosion of chicken-centric brands like Jollibee, Raising Cane’s, and Dave’s Hot Chicken, it’s definitely having a moment. This week, Wendy’s announced the launch of Tendys chicken tenders, “crispy, premium tenders made with seasoned, crispy breading and juicy, all-white-meat chicken” that are “crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.” They are being served with six new dipping sauces (Wendy’s Signature, Sweet Chili, Scorchin’ Hot, Creamy Ranch, Honey BBQ, Honey Mustard) and are available in three- or four-piece combos, a la carte, or as a Kids’ Meal. Wendy’s isn’t the only fast food chain that uses real chicken in its tenders. Here are 8 more.
Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s has built its brand on fresh, hand-battered chicken tenders, crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside real chicken strips. “Fresh Raising Cane’s literally melts in your mouth…they use the tenderloin part of the breast only,” says u/idontevenliftbrah. “100% best tenders in fast food market. They actually use real chicken tenderloins,” another writes.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A nuggets put the brand on the map, but the chicken strips are even better as they are big pieces of white meat chicken. “Their tenders are 1000x better than the nuggets IMO,” one person maintains. Seasoned similarly to the breaded chunks, there is a heftier source of protein per piece.
Zaxby’s
Zaxby’s is a Southern chain serving hand-breaded chicken fingers made from real meat. Famous for its crispy tenders and flavorful sauces, it was one of the first fast food chains to center its menu around chicken fingers. The chain also offers Texas toast, coleslaw, tea, lemonade, and “tater chips.”
Culver’s
Culver’s serves up “very big tenders” that are all white meat, “with a thinner but very crispy coating,” according to u/Beautiful-Cat245. They are also made to order, making them one of the freshest options. “Culver’s chicken tenders are fresh made,” says one. There are also spicy options. “Culver’s Buffalo tenders have no equal,” adds another.
Slim Chickens
Slim Chickens is a fast-growing chain specializing in fresh, hand-breaded tenders made with real chicken. “Since moving south I’ve discovered Slim Chickens and Whataburger. Strongly prefer either of them over any other fast food now,” writes u/Zacharacamyison.
Church’s Texas Chicken
Church’s Texas Chicken is famous for using real chicken breast strips for hand-battered tenders. “I like that it’s not greasy, but crisp and tasty!” one fan says. “Went to church’s the other day and I gotta say it was the best fast food fried chicken I’ve had in a long time. Better than Popeyes and KFC imo,” another added.
Popeyes
Popeyes is also popular for Cajun-style chicken tenders made from whole cuts of white meat. The standout features include spicy seasoning and crunch.
KFC
KFC’s Extra Crispy Tenders are made from real chicken breast. “I recently had the KFC chicken tenders for the first time, and they were a lot better than I expected them to be. The consistency, bite, and shape were like Popeyes’ chicken tenders but with the flavor of the 11 herbs and spices,” one person suggests
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