People love chicken strips (tenders, boneless wings, tendies, etc.). Perhaps it’s palate-formation from a childhood built around chicken nuggets in bright red boxes, or perhaps chicken strips done right are crunchy, savory and delicious. Add gravy, ranch or ketchup, and things just get better. Yes, they’re a staple, and yes, there are not-great versions that come in big bags of frozen chicken bits, but staples can be delicious, and some places do it right, and we have suggestions. Here are 10 Chicken Strips You Need to Try Now.
Charleston’s. Yes, the strips you started eating in the ’90s are still just as delicious as you remember. Dip them in gravy, ask for ranch or ketchup. Doesn’t matter. They’re excellent with or without sauce.
Chick N Beer. Call them boneless wings if you must — and that’s how they’re listed on the menu — but these are huge nuggets or fat strips. The sauce choices are eclectic, from root beer barbecue to mango Thai chili and Szechuan garlic parmesan, making it possible to find your own perfect bite.
Clark Crew BBQ. You can get them grilled. Why? The tenders at Clark Crew also come the proper way – hand-breaded – and you should totally have them with the Competition sauce.
The Hamilton Lounge & Supperette. How much does co-owner J. Mays love chicken strips? He designed this year’s hoodie around the theme of “chicken tendies.” They’re hand-breaded at The Hamilton and available on the bar menu.
Iron Star Urban Barbeque. We’ve said repeatedly that this place doesn’t get enough love. The chicken tenders are on the appetizer menu, but they’re a meal portion for most folks. The house pickles are the added bonus.
McNellie’s Public House. You can get plant-based as an option here, so there’s that, but the pub food at McNellie’s has always been underrated. The chicken fingers are no exception, and they come with fries or sweet potato spears (they’re not fries).
Nashbird. You need three of these to be completely full, maybe two, and do not forget to ask for extra pickle ranch. It’s magical. Choose your heat level, or go with buttermilk ranch battered. Chef Marc Dunham has figured it out, and they’re available all around the metro.
The Press. Maybe it’s the waffle fries — not enough places serve them, after all. This Plaza District spot does comfort food extremely well, but chicken strips with waffle fries is genius.
Ray’s Chicken Kitchen. The tenders are easily one of the best choices in Parlor, and it doesn’t matter if you go sauced or not. The choices range from Nashville hot to sweet-tea glazed to honey-butter glazed, and beyond. The hand-cut fries are a perfect accompaniment, especially if you mean to have leftovers.
Richey’s Grill. It’s long been referred to as “downtown’s lunchroom,” and it deserves the moniker. Located on the ground floor of the Oklahoma Tower, they’ve been at it for about 30 years. Every Tuesday they serve hand-breaded chicken strips with gravy, but as for tzatziki, too.
