Is There a Difference Between Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders? (2024)

FAQs

Is There a Difference Between Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders? ›

Not all breaded and fried chicken pieces are the same: classic chicken tenders should be made from the chicken breast's tender (more on that below), while nuggets are primarily made from the ground and processed chicken meat including breast and thigh meat that is then formed into nuggets, dinos, and even rings.

So, what is the difference? Classic chicken tenders should be created from the chicken breast's tender, but nuggets are generally manufactured from the ground and processed chicken meat, including breast and thigh meat, which is then molded into different shapes.

The difference between Chick-fil-A's nuggets and strips is the marinade.

In summary, the difference between chicken fingers and chicken tenders lies in the cut of the chicken and the way they are prepared. Chicken fingers are made from the inner fillet of the chicken breast, while chicken tenders come from the pectoralis minor muscles located beneath the breast.

Nuggets are tender because they are minced, giving the chicken an even and consistent texture. Dippers are rough around the edges, requiring high quality meat or brining before cooking.

We start with all white-meat chicken cut from the tenderloin, breast and rib and mix it with a marinade for flavor and juiciness and to help them keep their fun shape. Once everything is mixed, we create the four famous Chicken McNuggets® shapes—bell, boot, ball and bone.

Some people think that chicken tenders are just strips cut from the breast of the chicken. But in fact, the tender or tenderloin is an independent secondary muscle that lies directly under the breast. Sometimes, the whole breast is removed, which includes the tender; sometimes they are removed separately.

Chick-fil-A sources 100% real, whole, boneless breast of chicken that has never been ground or separated, and that contains no fillers or added steroids or hormones*.

Chick-fil-A^® Nuggets

Bite-sized pieces of boneless chicken breast, seasoned to perfection, freshly breaded and pressure cooked in 100% refined peanut oil.

However, I'll be honest: There is one product I've always been jealous that Costco members had and we didn't—the Just Bare Original Chicken Breast Chunks. These frozen chicken nuggets are a consistent fan favorite as customers say they taste similar to Chick-fil-A's chicken nuggets.

What is another name for chicken tenders? ›

Chicken tenders or chicken tenderloins are the little strips of meat that are tenuously attached to the underside of each breast (and thus sometimes called “hanging tenders”), so every chicken has two tenders.

While fried chicken tender can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, it's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks. Consuming excess fried chicken fingers or tenders may lead to higher cholesterol and sodium levels, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Not all breaded and fried chicken pieces are the same: classic chicken tenders should be made from the chicken breast's tender (more on that below), while nuggets are primarily made from the ground and processed chicken meat including breast and thigh meat that is then formed into nuggets, dinos, and even rings.

According to McDonald's, the nuggets come in four shapes: the bell, the bow-tie, the ball and the boot.

At best, most samplings are 50% meat. Under a microscope in a study, a nugget sample was seen to only have 40% meat, and of that meat, only 19% was protein.

The whole or half of the breast deboned. Also known as chicken fingers, chicken goujons, chicken strips or chicken fillets, tenders are chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles. These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).

The chicken, which is cut from the tenderloin, breast and rib, gets mixed with a marinade for flavor and to help the Chicken McNuggets® keep their fun shapes.

Buttermilk Crispy Tenders (and their precursor, Chicken Selects) were chicken strips sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's in the United States and Canada.