These Are The Worst Grocery Store Deli Chicken Tenders

When the thought of cooking dinner for your family after a round of shopping is just too much, grabbing food from the grocery store deli counter isn't a half-bad idea. Chicken tenders are a reliable crowd-pleaser in particular, as it's hard for anyone to screw them up, but believe us: It is possible. In our ranked taste test of grocery store deli chicken tenders, we put Fresh Thyme Market's version in last place, meaning it should never find a place in your cart.

Fresh Thyme Market is a smaller natural- and organic-oriented grocery chain with locations across the Midwestern U.S.. With its emphasis on fresh, local foods, you might assume its chicken tenders are higher-quality, but our taste tester thought they fell spectacularly flat. The fried coating — which should be crunchy, flavorful, and the highlight of any tender — is pale and flabby with zero crispness. And while no one likes a chicken tender that is 90% breading, Fresh Thyme Market's crust was way too thin. Unfortunately, the chicken beneath wasn't much better, with an off-putting mushy texture.

The ingredients in Fresh Thyme Market's tenders explain the odd taste. Despite what you might expect of a Whole Foods-esque grocery chain, its tenders are made with rib meat, soy protein concentrate, and starches, rather than just good old chicken breast. For your crispy chicken fix, you're better off buying one of the top frozen chicken tender brands or ordering the best fast food chicken tenders, even if they make no claims about natural ingredients.

While we won't buy Fresh Thyme Market's chicken tenders again, the chain's other premade foods are definitely worth trying. If you're craving poultry, Fresh Thyme's rotisserie chicken has earned top marks among customers, and it even comes in different flavors. One shopper on Reddit said the chain's chicken has a better flavor than Costco's famous version, and recommends Fresh Thyme's BBQ spice chicken in particular. The lemon pepper version is also a top performer.

In the mood for something more refreshing from the deli? Shoppers love Fresh Thyme Market's sushi, which includes a variety of rolls from spicy tuna to salmon and avocado and tricked-out specialty rolls, all made fresh daily. One Reddit user called it the "best grocery store sushi in my opinion!!", to which another commenter wrote, "I'm glad I'm not the only one! ... it beats most restaurants." Customers also note that it's a pretty good value, especially for raw seafood from an organic market.

In another surprising twist, Fresh Thyme Market bakes up the best grocery store croissant that easily rivals Costco's – that's a double smackdown against the iconic warehouse store. Fresh Thyme's version of the pastry sports layers upon layers of buttery, flaky, feather-light dough beneath a glossy crust. Other grab-and-go foods beloved by Fresh Thyme Market customers include its freshly-squeezed juices and chopped salads, which makes sense, since it's also one of the grocery stores with the best selection of produce.