MyTastr

Best frozen chicken nuggets & tenders, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Meggan Hill, Ariana Losch, Jess Eng, Danny Palumbo and 1 more. Recommendations come from allrecipes.com, seriouseats.com and sporked.com.

Freezer · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Hill, a chef: whole chicken breast instead of “anonymous ground-up chicken pieces,” and deep-fried they taste “just like Chick-fil-A nuggets.” A runner-up in Serious Eats’ 14-brand test.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: allrecipes.com ↗
  2. 2

    Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets & Tenders

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Palumbo: “If you’re looking for restaurant quality, these are the best chicken tenders to pick up”: clean-tasting, juicy meat and “the perfect amount of breading.” Whole breast pieces from an air-chilled Pennsylvania producer; Serious Eats’ original nugget tasting put it first.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗
  3. 3

    Applegate Organic Chicken Strips

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Sporked’s best chicken flavor (7.5/10): “super lean, fresh, and clean chicken breast flavor” with a light, thin breading. The gluten-free tenders are “so well-seasoned, you would literally never guess” (Ariana Losch).
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best frozen chicken nuggets & tenders, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites, chosen by Meggan Hill (Culinary Hill). Hill, a chef: whole chicken breast instead of “anonymous ground-up chicken pieces,” and deep-fried they taste “just like Chick-fil-A nuggets.” A runner-up in Serious Eats’ 14-brand test. Source: allrecipes.com ↗
What are the other top picks for frozen chicken nuggets & tenders?
No. 2 is Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets & Tenders, chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked). No. 3 is Applegate Organic Chicken Strips, chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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