The Popular Sit-Down Chain Customers Say Has Top-Tier Chicken Tenders

Steakhouses aren't just for steak. When sitting down for a proper omnivorous meal, foodies of all dietary creeds should be able to cut into a slab of red meat — or white meat — as they please. Texas Roadhouse accomplishes this do-it-all culinary range in style with its fan-favorite Chicken Critters. These Texas-inspired tendies have generated major buzz online and even surprised us here at Tasting Table as one of the chain restaurants with the best chicken tenders. So, what makes this poultry-based darling such a star contender on a steak-centric menu?

Texas Roadhouse's Chicken Critters comprise all-white meat chicken fried until golden and crispy. Texturally, these toothy morsels boast the ultimate breading-to-chicken ratio for the succulent, abundant bite that folks might expect from a steakhouse. Although, it might be those critters' pickle juice and hot sauce marinade that sets 'em apart on the palate — a subtle acidic heat upgrade. Whatever the case, we're digging this dish, and the price is right. At a restaurant location in Modesto, California, the Chicken Critters meal costs $18.49, including the tenders, choice of dipping sauce, and two sides. Add Texas Roadhouse's iconic, complimentary rolls into the equation, and it's a substantial meal for a fairly reasonable fee. To feed a larger crowd, those critters are also available as part of Texas Roadhouse's Family Pack meal — which, according to fans, hits just as hard as the single-serving entree.

According to some fans, Texas Roadhouse slightly changed its Chicken Critters recipe sometime around 2017, and it wasn't necessarily a change for the better. Apparently, the chain has tweaked those critters yet again, because foodies have taken to social media en masse to sound off their approval for this perhaps unlikely, chicken-based gem on the steakhouse's menu.

A viral TikTok gave a rave review to the Chicken Critters Family Pack Meal, which includes 24 tenders, a family-sized salad, two shareable 16-ounce sides, and (of course) those cinnamon honey buttered rolls for $39.99 at a location in Mobile, Alabama. The poster ordered from the restaurant's takeout window and went in with high expectations, preambling, "Let's see if it's just as good as the last one we got!" In execution, the foodie shares enthusiastically high praise for the meal, calling the chicken tenders "mouthwatering." Another post gave Texas Roadhouse's chicken tenders an impressive nine out of 10 rating. Elsewhere online, a Reddit thread asks fellow fans to help them track down the recipe for Texas Roadhouse's chicken critters, calling them "by far the best chicken tender[s] I have ever had and have not been able to recreate it." We invite home cooks jonesing for a taste of the good stuff to give our classic chicken tenders recipe a try. Bonus points if you put on a Willie Nelson record to set the epicurean scene.