When we think about substitutes for chicken, we don’t really think about peas or wheat! Thankfully, Gardein is far craftier than we are. The Gardein Nashville Hot Chick’n Tenders, which we’re reviewing today, contain 13 grams of pea and wheat protein, making them a solid alternative to actual chicken.
We opted to heat up these tenders in the oven, which was a fairly simple process. We simply covered a baking sheet with aluminum foil, cooked them for about 8 minutes, flipped them over, then popped them back in the oven for 8 more minutes. If you’re really hungry, and you don’t want to wait 20 minutes for these to cook up, you can nuke them in the microwave before tossing them in the oven. Do that, and you’ll have crispy tenders in just 10 minutes!
There’s some debate among the Freezer Meal Frenzy staff about the spiciness of these tenders. Some staffers say that they have some real kick, especially when it comes to the aftertaste. Other staffers tried to heat things up by pairing the wings with a spicy BBQ sauce. If you’re sensitive to heat, this chik’n might not work for you, but if you’re accustomed to fiery food, you’ll be able to eat these just fine.
But do they taste like actual chicken? They’re definitely not a perfect match for real chicken, but the breading and strong flavors makes these tenders fairly convincing. There’s a slight chewiness to the faux meat, but flavor-wise, these tenders are a big success. These kinds of products can be a little on the dry side, but our oven-baked chik’n had some actual juiciness to it. Still, you might want to dip these in some sort of sauce before you gobble them down.
If you’re comfortable with a bit of spice, Gardein Nashville Hot Chick’n Tenders are a meatless option you’ll want to keep in your freezer at all times. Whether you pair them with your favorite fries or some mashed potatoes, these tenders are a quick and easy way to create a tasty meat-free meal. If you’re a fan of these tenders, you’ll want to try some of Gardein’s other chik’n products as well.
To learn more about the nutrition content, ingredients, or cooking instructions for these vegetarian tenders, check out our package scans below.
