- McDonald's recently launched chicken tenders after removing them from menus in 2020.
- I compared its four-piece chicken tender meal to the same meal from Chick-fil-A.
- Both tenders impressed me — I preferred Chick-fil-A's meal but McDonald's was better value.
In a chicken-tender battle between Chick-fil-A and McDonald's, the chicken chain could be considered the heavyweight.
Chick-fil-A's tenders have been a mainstay of its menu for years, and the chain has an army of devoted fans, many of whom are Gen Z, a key market that fast-food and casual-dining chains are targeting.
But McDonald's is coming out swinging. It launched its new McCrispy Strips on May 5, marking the first time chicken strips have been on the menu since the COVID-19 pandemic.
I decided to compare the chains' chicken tender meals to see if McDonald's is a serious contender in the chicken-tender battle — and if it might even lure some Chick-fil-A fans away.
Here's how chicken tender meals from McDonald's and Chick-fil-A compare in terms of taste and value.
McDonald's recently launched chicken strips as part of its McCrispy line of products, which also includes the chain's chicken sandwich.
In a comparison of Chick-fil-A and McDonald's chicken sandwiches, I ranked the McDonald's version higher than Chick-fil-A, so I was eager to see if the burger chain's chicken strips could also beat out the legacy chicken chain.
I ordered a four-piece chicken strip meal, which came with a medium order of fries, a medium drink, and two sauces. I chose the chain's creamy chili sauce, which was launched alongside the chicken strips for pairing.
For my drink, I ordered a Diet Coke from both chains.
The cost of my meal at McDonald's came to $16.59, excluding tax and fees.
The chicken strips came in a cardboard carton.
The chicken strips were large and evenly coated in crispy breading. Unlike other chains' chicken tenders, these ones wouldn't exactly be described as flaky. They're more similar to a very long chicken nugget.
The chicken strips differ slightly from the chain's buttermilk crispy tenders, which were discontinued in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
Until now, chicken tenders have failed to return to menus, despite fans' pleas to bring them back.
Each bite was evenly coated in well-seasoned, peppery breading. The strips paired excellently with the creamy chili dipping sauce.
The chain's new creamy chili sauce was created to go with the new chicken strips, and they paired well.
The sauce tasted similar to a Sriracha aioli and added just the right amount of spice without being too overwhelming. The creamy dipping sauce clung to every crevice of the chicken strip, ensuring maximum flavor.
The meat inside the tender was a little lacking, however.
In a master ranking of 11 fast-food chicken tenders, I ranked McDonald's chicken tenders higher than Chick-fil-A's. However, upon a second try, I wasn't so sure.
The chicken tenders were slightly thinner and had less shreddable chicken than I remembered from my first taste test, suggesting the quality could be subject to change based on the batch you get. However, I still really enjoyed them.
The meal also came with fries and a drink.
Though some might argue that all Diet Cokes taste the same, I disagree. I'm a huge fan of McDonald's Diet Coke, which comes with just the right amount of ice and is always perfectly refreshing.
The fries also impressed me — they were salty and crispy, and also paired well with the creamy chili dipping sauce.
I also ordered a four-piece chicken tender meal from Chick-fil-A.
Chick-fil-A has been selling its beloved chicken tenders since 1989, though it didn't launch the chain's signature sauce until the early 2000s.
The meal cost $19.89, excluding tax and fees. It came with a medium drink, a medium order of waffle fries, and three sauces.
The chicken tenders were evenly fried, but coated with loose, flaky pieces of breading.
At first glance, these tenders were noticeably thicker than the McDonald's chicken strips.
They also had a lighter, more golden color to them rather than the almost-brown color of the fried chicken strips from McDonald's.
The chicken strips paired well with the chain's signature sauce.
The sauce was creamy and tangy, but didn't have the same kick as the chili sauce from McDonald's.
The chicken tenders really impressed me.
They were crunchy yet filled with thick, juicy shreds of chicken meat. I was surprised to find I actually preferred the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A over the ones from McDonald's.
The seasoning was peppery, like the breading on the McDonald's strips, but it had a slightly briny flavor, adding even more flavor. The chicken tenders were also much thicker, making the meal slightly more filling.
The meal came with crispy waffle fries.
The waffle fries were crispy yet pillowy — the potato inside seemed fluffier than the potato in McDonald's fries, which were more heavily fried.
They were also an ideal vehicle for the Chick-fil-A sauce — I was able to practically scoop it up with the fries, which was mouthwatering.
I had to give the win to Chick-fil-A, though I still thought McDonald's offered excellent value.
I preferred Chick-fil-A's thick and juicy chicken tenders to McDonald's's more heavily fried, crispy tenders.
I also liked the fluffy waffle fries in the Chick-fil-A meal more than the crunchy fries from McDonald's. They were a better vehicle for the chain's signature sauce.
However — shocking, I know — I actually preferred the creamy chili sauce from McDonald's. It packed more flavor than the Chick-fil-A sauce, thanks to the slight kick from the chili peppers, but it was still creamy enough to evenly coat the chicken strips.
When it came down to value, I thought McDonald's won. The Chick-fil-A meal was over $3 more expensive than the McDonald's meal. In terms of value, it had the chicken chain beat.
In terms of flavor, though, I had to give the win to Chick-fil-A's thick, flavorful, and briny tenders.
