KFC vs. Raising Cane's: Which Has the Best Chicken Tenders?
For most people, the chicken tender is a simple and unfussy vessel of protein, a proven crowd-pleaser, and a veritable godsend to parents of picky children everywhere. For "struggling" fast-food giant KFC, it's also a symbol of hope.
Once America's most dominant player in the fried chicken business, the global brand formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken has fallen behind major U.S. rivals Chick-fil-A and Popeyes in recent years, with a host of newer, fast-growing chicken chains nipping at its heels.
In an attempt to restore its luster with the country's ever-ravenous, chicken-craving public, KFC has launched several new menu items and limited-time offers this year, but none as highly publicized as its Original Recipe Chicken Tenders.
Launched nationwide in mid-October, the new item applies the chain's legendary "secret blend of 11 herbs and spices" to boneless strips of meat for the first time. KFC previously made tenders using its alternative "extra crispy"-style breading. The chain has promoted its new offering with TV commercials declaring an end to the so-called "chicken sandwich wars" and the beginning of a new "chicken tenders battle."
During a Nov. 5 earnings call, David Gibbs, the CEO of KFC's parent company, Yum Brands, noted that the chain's recent limited-time offerings "underperformed expectations due to a more intense competitive environment" but pointed to "boneless innovation like Original Recipe Chicken Tenders" as part of the path forward.
The move to remake its tenders with the same formula that made KFC famous in the first place is probably a wise one. In a 2023 taste test of five major fast-food chicken tenders by Eat This, Not That!, KFC's "extra crispy" version ranked third behind Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.
The refresh also gives the venerable chain a chance to better compete with Raising Cane's, the rapidly expanding Louisiana-founded upstart specializing exclusively in boneless chicken strips. In fact, the new KFC tenders bear several similarities to the Raising Cane's version. Whereas the old "extra crispy" tenders were crunchy and craggy, a style more akin to Popeyes, the new original recipe features a softer breading like Cane's product. The new KFC tenders also come with a new dip called Comeback Sauce, which looks very much like the creamy, orangish Cane's Sauce offered by the chain's younger rival.
To find out how KFC's new tenders truly compare to Raising Cane's, I decided to taste both versions in a side-by-side comparison. I tried each strip on its own and dipped in its accompanying sauce for a full perspective. Here's how they stacked up, beginning with the newcomer from the old standby.
KFC
Calories: 170
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 400 mg
Carbs: 20 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 11 g
Like many folks who grew up in middle America, I'm quite familiar with the flavor of KFC's original recipe. The chain's iconic buckets of bone-in fried chicken were incredibly popular during my youth, but I hadn't partaken in years. Then I got a preview of KFC's new tenders during this fall's ChainFest, the emergent food festival showcasing elevated, chef-driven takes on popular chain restaurant fare. The revamped tenders proved to be a popular draw at the festival on New York City's Randall's Island, with long lines of attendees queueing up for a taste and dispensers of KFC's new Comeback Sauce running dry long before the afternoon was done.
It can be difficult to properly assess a food item at a splashy event like that. Each new tender came served atop a remarkable mashed potato waffle, and the chefly spin on the classic KFC side effectively upstaged the featured attraction. (If KFC is looking for a truly eye-catching new menu item, those waffles could really do the trick.) So, I was curious to see how well the new item translated beyond its gussied-up, special-event debut.
I rolled into my local KFC in Brooklyn, N.Y., to find a range of ordering options, including a budget-friendly three-piece box with fries and two sauces for just $5. Various combo meals were also available, offering anywhere from three to a whopping 16 tenders. A 3-piece combo with fries, a biscuit, and a drink set me back $8.59.
The look: Crisp and jagged. The light brown tenders stretched about four inches long and came irregularly shaped between a half and full inch thick. The accompanying Comeback Sauce, served in a little plastic ramekin, struck a creamy, peachy shade with tiny flecks of red and black.
The taste: Pungent with a light crunch. I won't pretend to know all 11 top-secret seasonings in KFC's original recipe, but the most prominent is clearly black pepper. While its dark specks are visibly present in the breading, its presence is even more apparent on the palate. The pepper-forward flavor was appealing, albeit much stronger than I remembered. The white meat inside was moist enough, but the potent flavorings overpowered any natural chicken flavor from within.
Meanwhile, the Comeback Sauce packed a tangy punch, acting like a cross between ranch and zesty Italian salad dressings. The creamy dip nicely cooled the pepperiness from the tender, while adding some compelling sweet and sour notes. The chicken and condiment made for a truly zingy combo, which fans of strong flavors will surely appreciate.
Raising Cane's
Calories: 130
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 190 mg
Carbs: 5 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 13 g
Founded in 1996 with the uniquely narrow focus of serving only chicken fingers—albeit with sides and drinks, of course—Raising Cane's has grown into a poultry powerhouse with over 800 locations worldwide and showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The privately held company plans to open over 90 new locations this year alone.
According to Statista, the Louisiana-founded chain raked in over $3.75 billion in 2023, making it the country's fourth largest chicken chain by sales behind only KFC, Popeyes, and Chick-fil-A.
Cane's takes pride in the quality of its chicken fingers. According to its website, the chicken is marinated for 24 hours, then hand-breaded, and cooked to order. That brand of quality comes at a noticeable markup. Where I live in Brooklyn, N.Y., the trendy chain currently charges $11.93 for its most basic three-piece combo meal—$3.34 more than a comparable meal deal at KFC.
The look: Meaty and golden brown. Though similar in size to KFC's tenders, the Cane's version had a lighter color and more delicate breading that slipped away in places, leaving bald spots—a distinct contrast to the firm, unflinching coating of its rival. On the side, the famous Cane's Sauce struck a slightly redder shade and faintly thicker consistency than KFC's newer approximation, though both were generously flecked with seasonings.
The taste: Subtle but exceptionally savory. Where KFC's tenders smacked my lips with robust flavors upfront, Canes was more like a gentle caress. The umami factor was undeniable. Rich and comforting with a pinch of saltiness, these strips made me feel like I was slurping up chicken noodle or egg drop soup—the effect was enough to make you wonder whether the brine was pure broth.
Relatedly, the meat itself felt juicier and more tender (ahem) than KFC's version. The poultry's muscular fibers fell apart at the slightest tug, glistening with moisture.
The kicker came from the zesty Cane's Sauce, with its citrusy, garlicky, and spicy notes. The chicken and condiment make a great pairing because they each bring distinctly different qualities. While the creamy dips from both chains have a lot in common, their effects are polar opposites. Cane's dip amplified the flavor of the tender, whereas KFC's sauce toned down the intensity.
The Verdict
KFC's new tenders pack a lot of oomph into every bite and come at significant discount compared to the higher-end offerings at Cane's. But, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Cane's fingers are juicier, more tender, more succulent, and simply more enjoyable, giving them a leg up in the "chicken tenders battle," despite a valiant challenge from the long-standing poultry patriarch.
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