 | |
| Alternative names | Chicken tenders, chicken strips, chicken fillets, chicken goujons |
|---|---|
| Course | Appetizer, main course |
| Place of origin | Manchester, New Hampshire, United States |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Chicken, breading |
Chicken fingers (also known as chicken goujons, tendies, chicken strips, chicken tenders, or chicken fillets) are chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles of the animal.[1] These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).[2] They may also be made with similarly shaped pieces cut from chicken meat, usually the breast, or sometimes just pulverized chicken flesh.[3]
Chicken fingers are prepared by coating chicken meat in a breading mixture and then deep frying them, in a manner similar to the preparation of schnitzel.[4] They are a very popular snack or main course due to their convenience and have become a staple across the United States. Chicken fingers are a popular fast-food snack in the U.S.[5] Some of the most popular fast-food restaurants that sell chicken fingers include Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Chick-fil-A, Church's Chicken, KFC, Popeyes, Zaxby's and Culver's.[6]
Chicken tenders were first made in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Puritan Backroom in 1974.[7] Restaurants in Savannah, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana have challenged this claim with later assertions to the invention of chicken tenders, although the general consensus supports the claim in Manchester.[8] In 2023, Manchester was officially declared the "Chicken Tender Capital of the World" by Mayor Joyce Craig.[9]
Chicken fingers are a mass-produced product in the United States.[10][11] They gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1980s as an alternative fast food choice to chicken nuggets, since they retained more chicken meat.[12] Production can involve coating chicken meat with spices, polyphosphate and breading or crumbs, flash-frying the product to hold the breading in place, and then freezing it[10] prior to shipment for consumer, retail and commercial use. Tyson Foods is one such company that mass-produces chicken fingers.[11] Some are manufactured with a specific flavor profile, such as with a Buffalo-style hot sauce flavor.[11] They are also manufactured with flavors such as Honey BBQ and Parmesan Herb Encrusted.[13]
Chicken fingers are sometimes grilled rather than fried; they may accompany salads or pasta.[14]
The chicken tenders invented at Puritan Backroom in 1974 were marinated in duck sauce, and marinated "Manchester chicken tenders" can be found at other restaurants in the Manchester area.[15]
Media related to Chicken strips at Wikimedia Commons
