Someone should resign.
A popular food critic has selected the best fast food chicken tenders in America – naming a shocking choice number one in the country.
Jane Harris, Dining Writer LA Timesannounced the shocking verdict in a detailed article that walks readers through her taste tests at several different chains, all with nearly nationwide coverage.
And while some options will win recognition from poultry pundits, others will surely ruffle feathers.
The tender comes in the form of a value-sized basket of news Gen Z diners are swapping beef for birdEven the likes of Taco Bell are jumping into breaded and fried dishes, experts say.
There’s at least one thing everyone can agree on – Burger King’s chicken fries are the worst.
Here, a closer look at the rowdy rankings.
11. Burger King
The critic suggested that Burger King’s days of sovereign rule may be over – and certainly as far as their chicken fries are concerned.
Harris wrote of the food, “They tasted like long, rubbery nuggets.”
“An order of four feels like a light snack you can eat while preparing a real breakfast.”
10. Jack in the Box
This favorite player of Western America also did not perform well in the competition.
He wrote, “As soon as we took our first bite, the illusion of greatness was shattered.” They were smooth to touch. And the bitter taste of the old oil was the dominant taste.
9. Chick-fil-A
Often Idealized as America’s Best Chicken ChainHarris took a dig at the fast food lover.
He wrote, “The chicken was moist and had no oily taste, but we couldn’t discern its sweetness.”
“Chick-fil-A sauce, thick and briny and even sweet, only made things worse.”
8. Chicken Guy
This fast food venture from Food Network host Guy Fieri, which has locations everywhere from Times Square to Disney World, was criticized by Harris for having too much sweet flavor in its panko-style crusted tenders.
7. Jollibee
This Filipino fast-food chain, which has become a hit from coast to coast, hasn’t cut it either, Harris said.
He wrote that the “overwhelming taste of frying oil” made the tenders lean toward a “stale” taste – even despite ample juiciness.
6. KFC
Colonel Sanders saved his life? Like.
The taste tester said the chain’s gravy helped roast the salty chicken that was “tough, and you could pull off strips like string cheese.”
5. Church’s Chicken
The offerings here require some kind of dipping sauce to make them edible, Harris said, calling Church’s wayward effort “the least memorable of the group, but not terrible.”
However, she insisted on BYOS – bring your own sauce – because hot sauces and gravies could allegedly use divine intervention.
4. Carl’s Jr.
Harris said this West Coast standard is more suitable for a children’s menu.
“The meat tasted like juicy strips of chicken breast. The only problem is you have to eat them right away,” she wrote. “He didn’t keep his deficiencies like the others.”
3. Picking up a cane
The Louisiana-born series — which is now expanding rapidly from coast to coast, including NYC — took bronze in a somewhat disappointing list so far.
“The taste and feel of the chicken is like real chicken. And although the coating doesn’t hold the meat as well as I’d like, it’s crispy and stays crispy,” she wrote.
“The fingers are a little soft, but that’s what Ken’s sauce is for,” Harris said, referring to Raising Ken’s signature remoulade-esque dip.
2. Popeyes
Loved that chicken from Popeyes – apparently not enough to be number one.
Another offering from Louisiana was once a critics’ top choice, he said, but ultimately, the juicy and juicy tenders were awarded a silver medal.
As for the inconsistency, Harris explained – some bites were “thick and moist”, while others were “huge chunks of crunchy coating”.
“They register more as a crunchy snack than a meal,” he said.
1. Wingstop
Harris went out of his way to champion a wing chain that was not widely known for its tenders.
However, professional eaters enjoyed their nice crunch, size, and the “ideal consistency” of the accompanying ranch dip.
Returning to a familiar term for her sauce assessment she said, “Thick enough to cover your softness but not enough to be considered gloppy.”
