The Secret Chicken Item You Can Get At Raising Cane's With A Simple Ordering Trick

Fried chicken is very close to a perfect food. According to the Wall Street Journal, fast food chicken is a $53 billion industry. Around 1.6 billion chicken tenders are served every year. Chicken is just really tasty stuff. But it does come at a price, beyond the way it hits your wallet. Fried, breaded chicken may not be the healthiest choice all the time, so many of us only enjoy it occasionally. For some, it's just the chicken and not the breading they want. Whatever the reason, Raising Cane's has an option you may not be aware of if you're looking to cut a few calories or you just don't want the breaded coating. At the chicken chain, you can order naked chicken tenders.

Like most fast food restaurants, Raising Cane's has a few secrets you should know about, and the naked chicken tenders are just one. Since the chain makes its tenders fresh in-store, it has the unbattered chicken on hand and can make a custom order for you whenever you ask. A nice bonus is knowing they're freshly made to order. They're fried exactly the same as normal, just without the crispy coating. The end result comes out golden brown with a lightly crisped layer on the exterior of the meat. That makes them perfect if you're following keto or want a dairy-free option.

Ordering naked (or unbreaded) chicken tenders may seem a little counterintuitive. Why go to one of the best fried chicken chains in the U.S. and not order "real" fried chicken? But you still get a delicious marinated, fried chicken taste; it's just lacking some of the crunch and seasoning. A normal chicken finger from Raising Cane's is about 130 calories. The restaurant doesn't offer official nutritional info for an unbreaded chicken tender, but there are some calorie-tracking websites that list the calories at 70 per naked chicken finger. These seem to be only estimates, but it's a commonly cited number.

The chicken is described as having a slightly crispy exterior, though some have likened it to chicken jerky. Others have recommended you eat them while they're still hot; that way the chicken remains juicy and flavorful. While some reviews of Raising Cane's naked chicken fingers aren't always enthusiastic, others insist they taste great, even if you don't need them for dietary reasons. Honey mustard also comes highly recommended by naked chicken fingers fans rather than the traditional Cane's sauce.

Keep in mind, this isn't just plain chicken. Raising Cane's marinates its tenders for 24 hours before cooking, so even without the coating, they still pack flavor. They may not be for everyone, but the next time you find yourself at a Raising Cane's and want something a little lighter, give its naked chicken fingers a try.