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Frozen Chicken Tenders & Why You Should Buy Them

Jessica Fisher · October 23, 2015 · 47 Comments

Frozen chicken tenders from Trader Joe’s look like they’d be nothing special. But, they get my nomination for best ingredient of the year. Here’s why.

Frozen Chicken Tenders & Why You Should Buy Them | Good Cheap Eats

I was once a skeptic. My sister suggested that I buy frozen chicken tenders from Trader Joe’s. I thought she was nuts. Until I tried them. Then I was hooked.

Now at $7.49 for 2.5 pounds, these are certainly not the cheapest chicken you can buy. However, once I started buying these truly tender tenders, I realized we couldn’t go back.

This simple ingredient gets my nomination for Grocery of the Year. Here’s why:

Frozen Chicken Tenders & Why You Should Buy Them

1. Frozen chicken tenders are convenient.

These chicken tenders (they sell thighs and breasts this way too) are ice-glazed, meaning they don’t stick to each other, and they come in resealable freezer bags. You only pull out the number that you want, one or ten.

Did I mention there’s no need to thaw? Awesome.

Frozen Chicken Tenders & Why You Should Buy Them | Good Cheap Eats

2. These frozen chicken tenders are never tough.

We really love this chicken at our house. I’ve been cooking with them almost exclusively since I started recipe testing for Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less! It was an easy way to have chicken on hand without worrying about thawing. My family loves them!

I wondered if it was worth the extra money to be buying them from Trader Joe’s instead of getting sale chicken at the grocery store. I bought a few packages at the next good sale I saw. I cooked one and ended up taking the others back! These are so good, they’re worth their $2.99/pound. Promise.

I don’t know what those other stores treat their chicken with; TJ’s says the same thing about up to 3% solution, but there is a difference. These frozen chicken tenders are never tough. No matter how long I forget them.

3. Frozen chicken tenders cook quickly — from frozen.

Since you don’t need to thaw these, they are perfect for spur of the moment meals. I heat some oil in a pan, add the frozen chicken tenders, season generously, and in fifteen minutes I’ve got a great meal.

Not sure? Just try one of these quick chicken recipes!

  • Easy Chicken and Green Beans
  • Hands-Free Cashew Chicken
  • Easy Chicken Quinoa Bowl
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Creamy Chicken Salsa Verde

I was a skeptic, but I’m now a believer. My kid sis knows a thing or two. I better keep listening to her!

Have YOU tried frozen chicken tenders?

Don’t miss the rest of the series: Quick Dinner Ideas

Quick Dinner Ideas

Filed Under: Chicken, Frugal Pantry Tagged With: quick dinner ideas, real food products

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebekah says

    October 23, 2015 at

    Has anyone ever tried (and compared) the same product from Aldi’s? We don’t have a TJ’s near us, so I bought the frozen tenderloins from Aldi’s, instead. The ingredient list is small, they’re cheaper, and they cook up easily. I’m hooked, as well, but admittedly, I’ve never tried the TJ’s version.

    Reply
    • tina says

      October 24, 2015 at

      Just an fyi, the same company that owns aldi’s is also the largest “top secret” foreign owner of ti’s. You are probably buying the exact same product!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher says

        October 24, 2015 at

        Actually, that’s not exactly true. Aldi and Trader Joe’s do not have the same owner. The original Aldi split into two companies about 50 years ago. One side (Aldi Nord) owns TJ’s, but the other side (Aldi Sud) owns the Aldi stores in the US. So, there’s a connection and lots of common names, but they do not technically own the same stores. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi

        Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      I wouldn’t worry about how they compare if you love what you’re buying. 😉

      Reply
    • Eric says

      December 6, 2016 at

      If you have a save-alot in your area try theirs, 12.99 for a 5 lbs bag and they are good size!!!

      Reply
  2. Anna says

    October 23, 2015 at

    I haven’t tried Trader Joe’s, but we do use chicken tenders frequently. Sometimes it is worth spending a little more for something you are going to use instead of eating out for a quick meal. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      The convenience definitely pays for itself.

      Reply
  3. Jenni says

    October 23, 2015 at

    I’ve used other bagged chicken. They always seem to shrink as o cooked them. Do these do that?

    Reply
    • Sally says

      October 24, 2015 at

      I don’t think they shrink much, but doesn’t all meat shrink some when cooked?

      Reply
      • Jenni says

        October 24, 2015 at

        Yeah-just seems that the bagged kind shrank tons for me. ?

        Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      You have to remember that things expand when frozen, so yes there will appear to be a little shrinkage when they cook, though I wouldn’t call it a ton with these. That would depend on the brand and how much solution they’re adding to the product.

      Reply
  4. Kirstin says

    October 24, 2015 at

    I tried TJ’s frozen chicken tenders after reading about them here, and now I try to keep a bag in my freezer at all times. I mainly use them for chicken salad, but I plan to try your cashew chicken recipe soon.

    Reply
    • Sally says

      October 24, 2015 at

      I could have written that EXCEPT I’m a single and use them for everything. Two or three of them, depending on the size, are just right for me. I have some chicken breasts in the freezer but now use them only when I want to have a lot of cooked chicken on hand.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher says

        November 3, 2015 at

        Yes. My son cooks for himself to take lunch to school and that is another reason I love these. He can pull out only the ones he needs.

        Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      Yay! Glad you’re enjoying them!

      Reply
    • Desiree says

      August 12, 2020 at

      How long and on what temp do you pan fry from frozen?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher says

        August 12, 2020 at

        This recipe describes the method I use.

        Reply
  5. Felicia says

    October 24, 2015 at

    I have not tried frozen, bagged chicken tenders because when I see a sale on whole chickens, I will buy several and then make my own tenders from the deboned chicken breasts. The ALDI and TJ info is great to know, if I’m low on tenders tho! Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      It used to be that I would buy bone-in chicken breast on sale, but I don’t see that very often these days. So, I alternate between these bags and whole chickens because I love to make my own stock.

      Reply
  6. Ann says

    October 24, 2015 at

    I don’t tend to shop at Trader Joe’s but I get the same kind of frozen chicken breast at Costco and it’s SO handy! I’m making chicken enchiladas for dinner and I can grab the needed number of chicken breast (which runs about $2.15 a lb right now I believe) and toss them into a pot to boil. Like your tenders, I’ve NEVER had a tough chicken breast from Costco that was frozen like this (these are Perdue). I don’t know what it is but the chicken breast from the grocery store is always tough!! Even my dad who lives alone gets these big 10 lb. bags because of the convenience of pulling one or two out for himself without having to chisel out the meat! LOL

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      I will have to check our Costco and see how it prices out. Thanks for pointing that out.

      Reply
  7. Micha says

    October 24, 2015 at

    I buy the same chicken as Ann above me does. It’s slightly more than the fresh chicken I used to buy but saves money in the long run because I don’t have to purchase foil or freezer bags. The chicken always turns out great and it’s more portion sized so it saves a step.

    Reply
    • Shaunta says

      October 26, 2015 at

      I have found that when I buy the big bags of tenders, breasts, or thighs from Costco, the meat gets freezer-burned. Do you know how that could be happening? I try to get all the air out of the bag, but it still happens. This time, I bought the chicken in the packets that have about 5 pieces in each section (making 5 at a time should work for my family). However, they were a bit more expensive and the meat will have to be defrosted before using, because the pieces are frozen together. I’d love any tips on this. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher says

        November 3, 2015 at

        That sounds like your freezer might not be keeping a constant temperature. Is it being opened often? Also, perhaps store it in the deeper section of the freezer if that’s the case.

        Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      If the convenience helps you eat at home, I’m all in.

      Reply
  8. Jennifer says

    October 26, 2015 at

    Are the tendons still in the ones at TJ’s? That is the reason I never buy tenders!

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      There is sometimes a little stringy bit, but not usually the big chunk of whatever that is. 😉

      Reply
  9. Danielle says

    November 2, 2015 at

    Thanks so much for this email. I tend to have an aversion to cooking raw chicken and a fear of not cooking it enough. I bought some of these tonight and baking them according to the package directions. Halfway through I sprinkled with your FishMama spice on some and just kosher salt on some (in case picky eaters didn’t like the spice mix.) They were great and so easy. I totally left them in way longer than I should’ve (above mentioned fear of under-cooked chicken) and they were still pretty good, probably better had I taken them out sooner. Even my picky 7 year old who will usually only eat chicken with some type of breading ate them and loved the spice mix! Thanks for helping me find an easy and healthy dinner everyone will eat. Will definitely try pan frying them sometime, but I have to say baking them from frozen was so easy and didn’t gross me out the way raw chicken typically does.

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 3, 2015 at

      Winner winner, chicken dinner! Yay!

      Reply
  10. Carla says

    May 26, 2016 at

    The TJ’s frozen chicken tenders are definitely better than Sprouts Farmers Market fresh these days. I mean – every 3rd or so fresh cutlet is unbearably tough and chewy. The cooking is the same (and I know this has been a recent development in the past year or so with Sprouts.)

    I am TJ’s from now on until …. well, something better comes along.

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      May 26, 2016 at

      I am SO GLAD to know I’m not the only one who thinks so! I used to have great success with Sprouts, but it’s been disgusting.

      Reply
      • Carla says

        May 27, 2016 at

        “Disgusting” was actually the word I said after I ate the last Sprouts scallopini cut last night. I could barely get my teeth into it. And trust me – it’s not my cooking methods… this is happening a lot now with their chicken cuts.

        Thanks for posting this article, Jessica. I love the TJ’s frozen tenders and each time – they are actually TENDER! (As the name would imply.) 😀

        Reply
        • Jessica Fisher says

          June 4, 2016 at

          I accidentally bought the TJ’s chicken breasts recently and they were really good, too. Weird shapes, but good.

          Reply
  11. Shana says

    December 4, 2016 at

    How many tenders are in the bag?

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      December 5, 2016 at

      It’s 2.5 pounds, but the number of tenders varies. I’d say about 20?

      Reply
  12. Kim says

    August 31, 2017 at

    I have always bought the CostCo brand of these. I have not tried cooking without defrosting though. I can see the baking turning out ok, but what about frying? Do they spatter?

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      August 31, 2017 at

      They cook up fine. However, we’ve found both with Trader Joe’s and with Costco that the quality seems to have gone down. Not sure if that’s just location specific, but we don’t love them as much as we used to. 🙁

      Reply
      • Lee says

        September 11, 2017 at

        I just tried these tonight and they aren’t great at all. Have you found a better source by any chance?

        Reply
        • Jessica Fisher says

          September 12, 2017 at

          Lately, I’ve been buying ALDI’s fresh chicken. It’s been very good.

          Reply
  13. Carissa Denney says

    November 27, 2018 at

    Do you have a recipe to batter and fry these to make fried chicken tenders?

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      November 27, 2018 at

      I like this recipe.

      Reply
  14. Venus says

    August 19, 2019 at

    I need someone to speak about the flavor because chicken to me taste like nothing. I season with natural ingredients like garlic, onion, and lemon, salt and pepper. Are they really tasty? Do you marinate them ahead of time?

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      August 20, 2019 at

      All chicken is flavorless to you? Or just the frozen kind?

      Reply
  15. Sara says

    April 12, 2020 at

    Have you tried the ones from Harris Teeter? I got there when they opened today and they have no fresh fish or chicken so I did buy a bag for the first time.
    Do you recommend definitely cooking from frozen on 375? I am concerned about the ingredients retained water and natural flavors affecting them and me. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says

      April 12, 2020 at

      We don’t have Harris Teeter here, but I have used them from ALDI and Ralphs (Kroger). They worked fine. They might not have the best ingredients list but these days, I have to pick my battles. Waiting in line at Trader Joe’s isn’t one of those. 😉

      Reply
      • Sara says

        April 13, 2020 at

        Thank you so much for your reply. I tried them from frozen following the instructions and white liquid came out. I have not seen that before. The taste was fairly unpleasant. If it wasn’t corona and I am concerned about health(going back to the store) I might return as I am on a strict budget them but if they are safe it’s better not to go into a store

        Reply
        • Jessica Fisher says

          June 2, 2020 at

          Yes, that liquid is normal, I believe. It depends on the brand and what additives they use.

          Reply

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