The press release for these new KFC Original Recipe Tenders begins with: “The chicken wars began five years ago with the chicken sandwich, but that’s old news. Today, the chicken tenders battle begins as KFC introduces new Original Recipe Tenders.” Um, it appears someone forgot about the Fast Food Chicken Strips/Tenders Battle during the late 2010s that it also participated in?
I guess it’s difficult to remember since most of the strips/tenders ended up being replaced, limited time offerings that come back every other year, or discontinued, never to be fried up again.
But KFC has had chicken strips/tenders for years, and these new Original Recipe Tenders have a description that sounds like it could’ve been used for previous versions. They feature chicken breast strips double hand-breaded with the chain’s iconic secret blend of 11 herbs and spices and then fried to golden brown. I mean, what could be different from previous iterations? More secret spices? Single hand-breaded?
I ordered a three-piece meal deal that comes with Secret Recipe Fries and two dipping sauces. In the app, I picked the new zesty Comeback Sauce, but my order didn’t come with it. Instead, I was given the KFC Sauce. I went back to the counter to swap them but was told they had yet to receive their shipment. Aw, ship! So, I guess I must come back to try the Comeback Sauce.
The double hand-breaded chicken wasn’t as crunchy as Popeyes’ offering, but the poultry inside was meaty and juicy. The familiar flavor of KFC’s world famous blend of 11 herbs and spices is present in every sauceless bite, making these fine to eat sans sauce. Despite being double hand-breaded, I thought the breaded exterior appeared a bit thin in places when compared to Popeyes’ even-coated tenders.
While I didn’t receive the Comeback Sauce, I was glad I finally got to try the KFC Sauce. The tangy and sweet sauce is delicious, and I tried to scrape up every milliliter I could with the rest of the tenders and some of the Secret Recipe Fries.
KFC Original Recipe Tenders are good enough that I’m sure they’ll survive the fast food chicken wars.
Purchased Price: $7.99*
Size: 3-piece combo
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (3 tenders) 510 calories, 18 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 1200 milligrams of sodium, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 33 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. The advertised price for the Tenders Box is $5.