Why This Chicken Chain Has The Best Tenders

When it comes to chicken tenders, there's a whole lot of competition out there these days. But if you want the very best, it stands to reason that a renowned culinary star's restaurant would be the place to find them. Such is the case with Chicken Guy!, the fast food spot helmed by Food Network star Guy Fieri. In trying out and rating the tenders from 12 leading chicken spots, the crispy morsels from Chicken Guy! were by far the favorites of Food Republic's taste tester.

Classifying the Chicken Guy!'s tenders as special, our taste tester was impressed with the total package. From the strikingly generous size of the tenders to their juiciness, outstanding flavor, and well-balanced ratios of breading and spice, these meaty morsels further attested — not that we needed more proof — that Fieri knows his stuff in the kitchen and deserves every bit of the stardom he has gained in the food world.

Specifically, the tenders at Chicken Guy! — which are offered fried, grilled, spicy, or not spicy — start out by being pounded flat by hand for more breading surface to facilitate extra crunch. They then take a scrumptious swim in a brine comprised of fresh lemon juice, pickle brine, and buttermilk, which gives them their juicy tenderness and flavor-filled enjoyability thanks to osmosis. The acid breaks things down a bit, making the meat extra tender, while the salt fills the chicken, not only bringing more flavor to the party but helping it hold on to its moisture. Panko breading lends the crunch factor, and fresh herbs are the final flavor touch. The delicious end result is a collection of meaty bites that are the perfect balance of crispy, juicy, and flavorful.

While the Chicken Guy! menu features a host of items, from the standalone tenders to sandwiches and salads, each entree features the winning chicken tenders as its protein source. Since the meaty strips are the backbone of the whole menu, they need to be excellent — and, fortunately, they are. Considering the celebrity mastermind behind them, we suppose it was only natural that they should rise head, beak, and shoulders above the competition. 

The expert touch is definitely a factor that makes Chicken Guy!'s chicken tenders so special. In addition to the standout chefmanship of Guy Fieri in creating the recipes for Chicken Guy!, restaurant industry dynamo Robert Earl — the mastermind behind Planet Hollywood and a host of other food and hospitality brands — is Fieri's partner in the franchise. In collaborating to create the restaurant, the two men wanted to offer the world an elevated fried chicken product that stood out from the competition. The expertise and attention to detail these renowned collaborators put into their enterprise definitely shows up in each crispy, herbaceous bite of Chicken Guy!'s tenders. 

Not only are Chicken Guy!'s tenders our top pick, but Chicken Guy! overall is Food Republic's favorite fast food chicken chain. The quality is just there in abundance. The chain doesn't reveal all of the components that go into making its tenders so flavorful, but we wouldn't be surprised if Fieri's go-to seasoning for extra tasty fried chicken — dill salt — is somewhere in the mix.