A chicken tender is often dismissed as a kid's meal item. We treat it with the respect it deserves. In fast-casual dining, tenders are too frequently treated as an afterthought—processed chunks of ground poultry stamped into uniform shapes, frozen for months, and dropped into old oil. At Nash & Smashed, we believe chicken tenders deserve the spotlight. When crafted with culinary precision and premium quality ingredients, a tender is an exquisite showcase of texture, moisture, and savory balance.
The Tenderloin
We use only the actual tenderloin of the breast—not formed or pressed meat.
The pectoralis minor, or tenderloin, is a distinct, naturally tender strip of muscle nestled beneath the main chicken breast. Because this cut sees very little movement, its grain is exceptionally delicate, yielding a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that ordinary breast meat simply cannot match. We hand-trim each tenderloin fresh, rejecting filler, binders, or artificial tenderizers. When you bite into one of our tenders, you are tasting 100% whole-muscle white meat that is naturally succulent and bursting with clean flavor.
It is hand-breaded in our seasoned flour and fried until golden. The result is a massive, juicy piece of chicken that stands up to our heaviest sauces, from Signature to Yellow Mustard.
The Hand-Breaded Crust: Engineering the Crunch
The second critical component of tender anatomy is the crust. Our kitchen team coats every tenderloin by hand in a proprietary blend of flour, cracked pepper, and aromatic spices. Hand-breading creates irregular surface textures—crags, micro-ridges, and flakes—that react dynamically in the hot oil.
When dropped fresh to order, the exterior flashes into a shatteringly crisp barrier. This crunchy shell locks in the natural juices, steaming the tenderloin from the inside out while preventing oil absorption. The result is a golden-amber exterior that delivers an unmistakable, audible crunch without ever feeling greasy or heavy.
Structural Integrity for Heavy Saucing
A truly exceptional tender must possess structural integrity. Thin, soggy crusts collapse under the weight of rich sauces, turning an anticipated meal into a sloppy mess. Our tenders are engineered specifically for serious dipping.
Whether you submerge your tender into our tangy Yellow Mustard, smother it with our creamy house Signature Sauce, or drizzle it with sticky Hot Honey, the crust holds its crunch. Every bite delivers the ideal contrast: cool or tangy sauce, ultra-crisp seasoned crust, and piping hot, tender chicken.
The Nash & Smashed Experience
Enjoying tenders at Nash & Smashed is all about relaxed comfort paired with uncompromising quality. The dining room buzzes with warmth, lively music, and the irresistible smell of savory seasonings and freshly fried chicken. Whether you're dining solo, sharing a 7-piece platter with friends, or stopping by for a late-night bite, the experience is built around satisfying food served with genuine hospitality.
Pairing Suggestions
Whether you order a 3-piece box for lunch, a 5-piece or 7-piece plate after work, or a 12-piece bucket from the menu to feed the whole table, pairing smart makes every tender go further:
- Sauce Flights: Mix and match classic Yellow Mustard, Honey Mustard, Hot Honey Sauce, smoky BBQ Sauce, Garlic Parmesan Sauce, Garlic Pepper Sauce, and house Signature Sauce so every strip gets a distinct finish.
- Hearty Sides: Pair your tenders with seasoned Waffle Fries, crunchy Pickle Bombs, creamy Mac & Cheese, or warm golden Corn Bread.
- Belgian Waffle Upgrade: Combine tenders with a round Belgian Waffle so crisp savory breading meets airy toasted batter.
- Cool Sips: Quench your thirst at any of our locations with a Mango or Passion Fruit Smashed Blend Mojito poured cold over lime and mint, or a thick Triple Chocolate Milkshake.
Experience what happens when whole-muscle chicken tenderloin is breaded by hand and fried to order. Put your box together fresh today.